Reductive Elimination of H-H, H-CH3, and CH3-CH3 from Bis(Phosphine)Platinum(II), - Palladium(II), and -Nickel(II) Complexes: A Theoretical Study Using the SCF-X alpha-SW Method.
Abstract
Self-consistent-field X alpha scattered-wave (SCF-Xalpha-SW) calculations have been carried out for two series of organometallic complexes (L = H3P: L2PtH2, L2Pt(H)CH3, and L2Pt(CH3)2; L2Ni(CH3)2, L2Pd(CH3)2, and L2Pt(CH3)2. These calculations suggest a correlation between the relative rates of reductive elimination (L2MXY yields L2M + XY) and the molecular orbital character of the starting complexes: those compounds which eliminate XY relatively rapidly have occupied molecular orbitals with pronounced M-X(Y) antibonding character those which eliminate XY slowly have only vacant M-X(Y) antibonding orbitals. No single orbital (HOMO or other) dominates the M-X(Y) bonding in thses complexes: bonding and antibonding character is distributed among several of the valence orbitals. We propose a simple model to correlate the occupancy of antibonding M-X(Y) orbitals and rates of reductive elimination with the relative electronegativities of M and X(Y). The limitations of this model, and alternates to it, are described briefly. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 04, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA096408
Entities
People
- Anna C. Balazs
- George M. Whitesides
- Keith H. Johnson
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology