Synthesis of benzannulated N-heterocyclic carbene ligands by a template synthesis from 2-nitrophenyl isocyanide.

The reaction of 2-nitrophenyl isocyanide 2 with [M(CO)5(thf)] (M=Cr, Mo, W) yields the isocyanide complexes [M(CO)5(2)] (3: M=Cr; 4: M=Mo; 5: M=W). Complexes 3-5 react with elemental tin under reduction of the nitro function of the isocyanide ligand to give the complexes with the unstable 2-aminophenyl isocyanide ligand. The coordinated 2-aminophenyl isocyanide ligand in all three complexes reacts spontaneously under intramolecular nucleophilic attack of the primary amine at the isocyanide carbon atom to yield the complexes with the NH,NH-benzimidazol-2-ylidene ligand (6: M=Cr; 7: M=Mo; 8: M=W). An incomplete reduction of the nitro group in 3-5 is observed when hydrazine hydrate is used instead of tin. Here the formation of complexes with a coordinated 2-hydroxylamine-functionalized phenyl isocyanide [(CO)5M-CN-C6H(4-)-2-N(H)-OH] is postulated and this unstable ligand again undergoes intramolecular cyclization to give the NH,NOH-stabilized benzimidazol-2-ylidene complexes 9-11. The tungsten derivative 11 can be allylated stepwise by a deprotonation/alkylation sequence first at the OH and then at the NH position to yield the monoallylated and diallylated species 12 and 13. The molecular structures of 3-5 and 12-13 were established by X-ray crystallography.