Reactions between Co(II), 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane, and NaBH3CN in the presence and absence of CO. The crystal structure of bis(cyanotrihydroborato)tetrakis(N,N-dimethylformamide)cobalt(II)

Abstract

Reactions between Co(II), Diphos, and NaBH3CN lead to Co(BH3CN)2(Diphos)2, 1, or [Co(BH3CN)(Diphos)2]X, 2 (X = ClO4 or BPh4), and, in certain solvents, 2 reacts to produce [Co(CN)(Diphos)2](ClO4). Compound 1 can be reversibly converted to Co(BH3CN)2(DMF)4, 4, via Co(BH3CN)2(Diphos)(DMF). In addition, 1 reacts with CO to form the Co(I) and Co(III) compounds [Co(Diphos)2](CO)]X and [Co(Diphos)2(CN)2]X (X = BH3CN or BPh4). Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies of 4 show that the compound crystallizes in the triclinic space group [Formula: see text], with unit cell parameters a = 7.572(6), b = 9.695(6), c = 9.395(6) Å, α = 81.06(4), β = 68.46(5), γ = 68.19(5)°, V = 595.5 Å3, Z = 1, and dcalcd = 1.202 g cm−3. The structure converged to a conventional R factor of 0.040 for 2841 observations and showed an octahedral arrangement of four O atoms from DMF molecules and two trans N-bound BH3CN groups around the Co(II) center.