Silver hydride complexes have been studied for their interesting molecular properties and reactivity. N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) silver complexes exhibit uniqueness in both structure and reactivity that have been found to be useful in organosilver-mediated activation of molecules which can hearken to potential applications in renewable fuel or carbon cycles. NHC-silver fluoride complexes were found to activate dihydrogen to form 3-center, 2-electron hydride clusters that are hydridically adequate to reduce activated carbon dioxide. Steric effects were found to be an important factor concerning the stability of silver hydrides where increasing bulk substantially increased the stability of the hydride and the rate of dihydrogen activation. 1H and 109Ag NMR spectroscopic studies disclose the formation of hydride clusters and the presence of 109Ag-107Ag coupling. This study indicated that dihydrogen can be heterolytically activated by hard/soft-mismatched silver complexes and that expanded-ring NHCs, with their greater steric demand and stronger electron-donating capacity, offer a clear advantage over traditional five-membered NHCs, significantly enhancing the rate of hydrogen activation as well as the stability of the resulting metal-hydride cluster.

New N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) silver fluorides facilitate dihydrogen activation to form a silver hydride cluster where sterically demanding NHC ligands increase stability and rate of hydrogen activation

249th National Meeting (2015)

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