258: Progress towards the coordination of a novel acetylide-based ligand

Abstract: Acetylenic ligands are of interest in organometallic chemistry because they can coordinate to transition metal centers through both sigma and pi bonds, which can lead to unusual structures and unique reactivity. Our lab has previously studied the chemistry of phenylacetylide as well as para-substituted phenylacetylide ligands coordinated to the [Re6Se8]2+ cluster core. In an effort to expand the types of acetylenic ligands coordinated to this rhenium selenide cluster core, we are exploring the prospect of coordinating 2-alknyl-3-methylpyridine to the same cluster core. This alkynyl species is of unique interest due to the proximity of the nitrogen atom in the aromatic ring to the acetylenic moiety. To date, we have successfully isolated [Re6Se8(PEt3)5(C8H7N)]2+ in small scale test reactions, where coordination of 2-alknyl-3-methylpyridine is supported by 1H and 31P{1H} NMR spectroscopy as well as MS data. This presentation will focus on our progress towards the optimization of this reaction as well as purification of [Re6Se8(PEt3)5(C8H7N)]2+ and identification of the coordination mode of this unique ligand.