The Role of Secondary Interactions in Group 11 Metal Complexes Containing the Ferrocene Ligand FcCH₂NHpyMe in Supramolecular Structures

Abstract

Abstract The ferrocene ligand 6‐[(ferrocenylmethyl)amino]‐2‐picoline, FcCH 2 NHpyMe [Fc = (η 5 ‐C 5 H 5 )Fe(η 5 ‐C 5 H 4 )], has been prepared by treatment of FcCH 2 NMe 2 with 6‐amino‐2‐picoline, NH 2 pyMe. The coordination chemistry with group 11 metals has been studied and several complexes with coordination of the metal atom to the pyridine nitrogen atom, such as [M(PPh 3 )(FcCH 2 NHpyMe)]OTf, [Au(C 6 F 5 )(FcCH 2 NHpyMe)] and [AuR 3 (FcCH 2 NHpyMe)] (M = Au, Ag; R 3 = (C 6 F 5 ) 3 , (C 6 F 5 ) 2 Cl; OTf = trifluoromethanesulfonate), have been obtained. The complex [Cu(FcCH 2 NHpyMe) 2 ]PF 6 has also been synthesised with a probable coordination of the copper centre to the pyridine and amine nitrogen atoms. Deprotonation of the NH group allows the synthesis of dinuclear complexes of the type [M 2 (PPh 3 ) 2 (FcCH 2 NpyMe)]X or [Au 2 (C 6 F 5 )(PPh 3 )(FcCH 2 NpyMe)] with a mixed pyridine−amide ligand. Some of the complexes have been characterised by X‐ray diffraction and show the presence of intramolecular aurophilic interactions in the dinuclear complex and intermolecular interactions leading to chains in the mononuclear complex. Other types of secondary bonds are present in these structures, such as hydrogen bonding and weak η 2 interactions between the gold centre and the cyclopentadienyl ring. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004)