Reactions of a cooperative Lewis pair TaCl5–PPh3 with alkyl- and arylnitriles will be discussed. Strong Lewis acid TaCl5 signifcantly activates remote aliphatic and aroamtic C–H bonds in coordfinated substrates. The propensity of Ta(V) to form multiple bonds to nitrogen-containing ligands led to a sequence of bond rearrangements and the formation of a zwitterionic imido complexes of Ta(V). All the reported activation processes proceed through cooperative Lewis acid-Lewis base interactions and do not involve redox events at the metal center. These transformations highlight the special role of the high-valent transition metal halide in substrate activation and distinguish the reactivity of the TaCl5–PPh3 system from both non-metal- and late transition metal-based frustrated Lewis pairs.

Formation of Ta(V) imido complexes upon cooperative Lewis acid-Lewis base C-H activation of aryl- and alkylnitriles

254th National Meeting (2017)

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