Description: This article discusses an effective core potential study of transition-metal chalcogenides. Abstract: A structural analysis is reported of roughly 150 transition-metal (TM)-chalcogenido complexes in a variety of chemical environments. With few exceptions, agreement between calculated and experimental geometries is excellent. The research provides convincing evidence that computational methods employed are adequately describing the bonding in these diverse TM complexes. Interesting trends in relative TMCh (Rмсh-Rмсh) bond lengths are found. Experimental and computational data show that other than the zirconocene-and halfnocene-oxos there is similar behavior in relative bond lengths for widely varying TM-chalcogenido complexes. Relative bond lengths versus oxo (S-O, Se-O, and Te-O) in group IVB metallocenes tend to be larger than for other families of complexes and show less variation among the heavier chalcogens (Se-S, Te-S, and Te-Se). Analysis of localized wave functions for Cp₂ZrCh point to a greater contribution from a singly-bonded Zr-Ch structure (relative to Zr=Ch) when Ch is O compared to heavier chalcogens. Taken together, the data suggest that there is a fundamental difference in the Zr-oxo (and Hf-oxo) bond in relation to heavier chalcogens, consistent with recent experimental data. In previous studies of multiply bonded TM complexes the authors have focused on the ability of ECPs ...

Description: This article discusses the calculation of a methane C-H oxidative addition trajectory. Abstract: An effective core potential (ECP), parallel supercomputing study of methane activation by 14-electron, Ir(PH₃)₂(X) complexes (X = H, Cl) is presented. Considerable weakening of the coordinated methane C-H bond occurs upon formation of an ɳ²-CH coordinated (X)(PH₃)₂Ir•••HCH₃ adduct. A more strongly bound adduct (with greater weakening of the coordinated C-H bond) occurs when X = Cl versus X = H. The calculated Ir(PH₃)₂(H) + CH₄ → Ir(PH₃)₂(H)₂(Me) reaction enthalpy is -12.8 kcal mol⁻¹, and -41.6 kcal mol⁻¹ for the chloro analogue. The intrinsic reaction coordinate is calculated and compared to an experimental trajectory. Analysis of the wave function along the intrinsic reaction coordinate (IRC) suggests that although donation of electron density from methane to metal is essential for adduct formation, it is not until backdonation to σ* сʜ increases that the C-H bond is activated and cleaved. The electronic and molecular structure of the reacting system along the IRC suggest a two-stage mechanism: substrate to complex donation is important in the early part of the reaction (electrophilic stage) while complex to substrate backdonation is necessary later on (nucleophilic stage) for C-H scission. Finally, comparison of IRCs for ...

Description: This book review discusses 'Chemistry of Advanced Materials: An Overview', edited by Leonard V. Interrante from Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute, and Mark J. Hampden-Smith from the University of New Mexico.

Description: This articles discusses transition metal imido complexes. A wide range of transition metal imido (TMI) complexes is studied using ab initio molecular orbital (MO) calculations. The main computational point of interest is the further testing of effective core potentials (ECPs) and valence basis sets to allow for the accurate calculation of properties for reasonably sized transition metal complexes. On the chemical side, several results from the study are to be noted. The agreement between geometries for calculated models and their experimental counterparts ranges from very good to excellent, as found in previous studies of multiply bonded transition metal-group IVA complexes. Taken together, these data suggest that the accuracy one has come to expect for the prediction of structural properties for main-group compounds may yet become a reality for transition metal complexes. The correct prediction of molecular structure also leads one to infer that the bonding in these complexes is also accurately described. The MC/LMO/CI (multiconfigurational/localized MO/configuration interaction) technique shows that eight resonance structures are most significant in the description of the metal-imido linkage. Three of these account for roughly two-thirds of the total contributions; two resonance structures, both possessing a dative σ bond, correspond to novel bonding descriptions for TMI ...

Description: This article discusses principal resonance contributors to high-valent, transition-metal alkylidene complexes. The results of ab initio calculations are reported for prototypical high-valent, alkylidene complexes. Stationary points on each potential energy surface are characterized and compared to experimental information where available; as long as a suitably flexible valence basis set is used, good agreement between theoretically calculated and experimentally determined geometries is obtained. The complexes of interest include group IVB (Ti, Zr and Hf) and group VB (Nb and Ta) alkylidenes with hydride ligands as well as models for the four-coordinate, olefin metathesis catalysts (Mo-, W-, and Re-alkylidenes) which have been recently synthesized and characterized. In light of the fact that much of the discussion concerning the reactivity of transition-metal carbene complexes has been presented in terms of the resonance contributors derived from rearranging the electrons in the M-C σ and π orbitals, the minima obtained from the portion of the study are then subjected to a further procedure to calculate these contributions. Resonance structures in which the carbon is the negative end of the M-C bond (i.e., nucleophilic resonance structures) contribute 50% to the ground-state wave function of these complexes. Those in which the carbon is formally neutral account for ...