New Highly Active Heteroscorpionate-Containing Lutetium Catalysts for the Hydroamination of Aminoalkenes: Isolation and Structural Characterization of a Dipyrrolidinide–Lutetium Complex

The reactions of the hybrid scorpionate/cyclopentadiene compounds, as a mixture of regioisomers1-[2,2-bis­(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)-1,1-diphenylethyl]-1,3-cyclopentadiene and 2-[2,2-bis­(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)-1,1-diphenylethyl]-1,3-cyclopentadiene (bpzcpH) and 1-[2,2-bis­(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)-1-tert-butylethyl]-1,3-cyclopentadiene and 2-[2,2-bis­(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)-1-tert-butylethyl]-1,3-cyclopentadiene (bpztcpH)with [Lu­(CH2SiMe3)3(thf)2] proceed in very high yields to give the free solvent neutral heteroscorpionate dialkyl lutetium complexes [Lu­(CH2SiMe3)2(bpzcp)] (1) and chiral [Lu­(CH2SiMe3)2(bpztcp)] (2). The structures in solution of 1 and 2 were investigated by VT NMR spectroscopy, and a fluxional behavior corresponding to an exchange between the alkyl groups was observed. The lutetium complex [Lu­(CH2SiMe3)2(bpztcp)­(thf)] (3) was isolated as an enantiomerically enriched complex. Supramolecular CH−π interactions between molecules in crystals of 3 have been identified in its X-ray molecular analysis, and they explain the formation of a conglomerate among molecules of 3. Complexes 1–3 are efficient catalysts for the intramolecular hydroamination of aminoalkenes, giving TOF values of up to 475 h–1 at 90 °C for 2,2-diphenyl-pent-4-enylamine (4) by using complex 3 as catalyst. Enantioselectivities up tp 70% ee were achieved in the cyclization of the 1,2-disubstituted olefin 6 with the high enantiopurity complex 3. The hydroamination reactions show apparently zero-order rate dependence on substrate concentration and first-order rate dependence on catalyst concentration. Additionally, bicyclization of 2-allyl-2-methylpent-4-enylamine (10) was achieved at 60 and 100 °C, giving exo,exo-2,4,6-trimethyl-1-azabicyclo­[2.2.1]­heptane (12). The protonolysis reaction of complex [Lu­(CH2SiMe3)2(bpztcp)] (2) with 2 equiv of 2,2-diphenyl-pent-4-enylamine (4) yielded a dipyrrolidinide lutetium complex [Lu­(NC4H5-2-Me-4,4-Ph2)2(bpztcp)] (13) as a mixture of two diastereoisomers. The structures of the complexes were determined by spectroscopic methods, and the X-ray crystal structures of 3 and 13 were also established.