Selective C-F/C-H bond activation of fluoroarenes by cobalt complex supported with phosphine ligands

Dalton Trans. 2013 Apr 28;42(16):5740-8. doi: 10.1039/c3dt33074e.

Abstract

The reactions of pentafluoropyridine C5NF5, hexafluorobenzene C6F6, and perfluoronaphthalene C10F8 with cobalt(0) complex, Co(PMe3)4, were investigated. The Co(I) complexes (4-C5NF4)Co(PMe3)3 (1), (C6F5)Co(PMe3)3 (2), (C10F7)Co(PMe3)3 (3), (4-C5NF4)Co(PMe3)4 (4) and (C10F7)Co(PMe3)4 (6) were obtained by selective activation of the C–F bonds. The reactions of 1 and 2 with CO afforded dicarbonyl cobalt(I) complexes (4-C5NF4)Co(CO)2(PMe3)2 (7), (C6F5)Co(CO)2(PMe3)2 (8). Under similar reaction conditions, 2 as a C–H bond activation product was obtained from the reaction of pentafluorobenzene, C6F5H, with Co(PMe3)4. The byproducts, hydrodefluorination product 1,2,4,5-C6F4H2 and F2PMe3 from the reaction of C6F5H and Co(PMe3)4 were also observed. The reaction mechanism of C6F5H with Co(PMe3)4 is proposed and partly-experimentally verified. The reaction of C6F5H with Co(PMe3)4 under 1 bar of CO at room temperature afforded hydrido dicarbonyl cobalt(II) complex (C6F5)Co(H)(CO)2(PMe3)2 (11). Treatment of the mixtures of C6F5H/Co(PMe3)4 with hexachlorobenzene, C6Cl6, resulted in (C6F5)CoCl(PMe3)3 (12) via C–H bond cleavage with the hydrodechlorination product pentachlorobenzene, C6Cl5H, and 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene, C6Cl4H2. The structures of complexes 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 11 and 12 were determined by X-ray diffraction.