A MATRIX ISOLATION SPECTROSCOPIC INVESTIGATION of the REACTION PRODUCTS of TRANSITION METAL CENTRES with ETHENE and WATER By
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
A MATRIX ISOLATION SPECTROSCOPIC INVESTIGATION OF THE REACTION PRODUCTS OF TRANSITION METAL CENTRES WITH ETHENE AND WATER by MATTHEW G. K. THOMPSON A thesis submitted to the Department of Chemistry in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Queen’s University Kingston, Ontario, Canada November 2007 Copyright © Matthew Gary Karl Thompson, 2007 Abstract The reaction products of thermally generated atomic V with ethene and ethene isotopomers have been investigated by matrix isolation ultraviolet visible and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. When V is deposited into matrices of pure Ar, evidence for V and V2 are present in the UV-visible absorption spectra. Addition of trace amounts of ethene results in the elimination of absorptions due to V2 on deposition, likely due to the formation of … V (C2H4) van der Waals complexes on matrix condensation. Irradiation of matrices containing V and trace C2H4 in Ar, with light corresponding to atomic V electronic excitations, eliminates all UV-visible absorptions due to atomic V in the matrix. Infrared analysis of matrices containing V and C2H4 give evidence for a new product on deposition, consistent with a kinetically formed H-V-C2H3 isomer. Following further irradiation of the matrix, several new products of C-H bond insertion by the metal atom, including additional H-V-C2H3 conformational 2 isomers, and H2V(η -C2H2) products are observed in the infrared spectrum. Additionally, the formation of ethane is evident as a major product immediately following deposition of V + C2H4 + H2O in Ar. The formation of this product is consistent with alkene insertion into the V-H bond of an H-V-OH intermediate, followed by a photo-induced elimination to give C2H6. Under higher C2H4 concentrations, competitive ethane formation in which a sacrificial hydrogenation mechanism involving two ethene molecules is observed, analogous to the mechanism proposed to account for V + H2O + C2H4. Isotopic ii investigations aimed at confirming key aspects of the proposed mechanisms are also presented. Similar reactivity is observed for several metals, suggesting that this reaction is a generalized reaction, whenever transition metal hydrides are formed. The additional observation of ethene hydrogenation where the initiating hydride source is either water, or ethene, suggests that this reaction could also easily generalize to other initiating hydride sources. The mechanism could also extend to the insertion of other π-bond containing species, as well. iii Acknowledgements It would be impossible for me to have completed this work entirely on my own. The enormous support of a number of people has contributed to the overall production of this thesis, through numerous valuable discussions, administrative support, and dedicated instruction. While it would take many additional pages to properly thank every person who has been a part of this work, I hope that this small section serves as representative of my sincerest thanks to all those involved. Without doubt, the departmental administrative assistants at both Queen’s University and Trent University have been invaluable in helping me achieve my goals. In particular, Ms. Annette Keyes, and Mrs. Laurie LaPlante are two people who have helped me enormously. Their tireless efforts will never be forgotten, and certainly, their efforts will remain at the forefront of my memories of graduate school. Additionally, members of the staff at each of the universities have been invaluable, as well. In particular, the help of Mr. John LaPlante, and Mr. Barry Best, along with Mr. Ralph Frederick, Mr. Ed Wilson, Mr. Paul Karrel, and Mr. Ken Fowler have been instrumental in ensuring that day to day research could continue, smoothly. I have also had the privilege of great instruction, in graduate courses at both Queen’s University and Trent University, and I would like to thankfully acknowledge the tireless efforts of all of my instructors, who have certainly helped me to learn chemistry in their own ways. iv Additionally, I would like to thank Professors Alan Slavin, and William Graham, who served as examiners on my committee. Their kind words, and thought provoking questions helped me to make my written thesis more complete. I am very pleased that both of them agreed to help me with this work, and provide their time, their advice, and their support. Without doubt, two of my instructors, Professor Donal Macartney, and Professor David Wardlaw, were the most inspirational, and my favourite instructors, at Queen’s. It was for this reason that I asked each of them to serve as members of my supervisory committee, and ultimately as examiners during my Ph.D. defence. I am very happy to have had these people along with me, during this journey. If I had to repeat the process, I would certainly hope that both of them would agree to repeat it with me, since they have certainly helped to make my overall Ph.D. experience exceptional. Finally, I could not conceive of writing this section without thanking Professor J. Mark Parnis, my supervisor, my chemical mentor, and one of my best friends. Were it not for Mark, I would never have considered graduate school, and I would thus have missed out on countless opportunities which have proven, time and time again, to be the perfect choices for me. Through my conversations with Mark, I have learned as much about life as I have about chemistry – and these lessons that I have learned in each case, will undoubtedly serve me well as I continue forward from this point. It is a consequence of these experiences that I have become the person that I am today. I am very proud to be completing this work, in this context, and if I am able to help even one person v have but a fraction of the experience I had during my Ph.D., I would consider that to be a great success. vi In memory of my grandfather, Jack Rascon While he would have realized in advance that he would not have understood a single concept, he would have sat and read this entire document, simply because I had written it. Then, during my convocation, he would have clapped louder, stood taller, and been filled with more pride than anyone has ever been. vii Statement of originality I hereby certify that all of the work described within this thesis is the original work of the author. Any published (or unpublished) ideas and/or techniques from the work of others are fully acknowledged in accordance with the standard referencing practices. Matthew Gary Karl Thompson November, 2007 viii Table of Contents Abstract .................................................................................................................ii Acknowledgements ..............................................................................................iv Statement of originality .......................................................................................viii Table of Contents .................................................................................................ix List of Tables .......................................................................................................xii List of Figures, Illustrations and Schemes ..........................................................xiii Chapter 1: Introduction ....................................................................................... 1 1.0 Origins of the current work........................................................................ 1 1.1 Matrix isolation: Technique and spectroscopic analysis .......................... 3 1.2 UV-visible spectroscopy and matrix isolation............................................ 9 1.3 Infrared spectroscopy and matrix isolation.............................................. 13 1.4 General introduction to basic organometallic chemistry.......................... 26 1.5 References for Chapter 1........................................................................ 30 Chapter 2: Review of transition metal reactivity with hydrocarbons: theory, gas- phase and matrix-isolation studies ..................................................................... 33 2.0 Overview of transition metal chemistry ................................................... 33 2.1 Transition metal chemistry with hydrocarbons ........................................ 34 2.2 Computational investigations of metal atoms with ethene ...................... 35 2.3 Gas-phase transition metal reactions with hydrocarbons........................ 45 2.4 Transition metal reactions with hydrocarbons in cryogenic matrices ...... 55 2.5 Water in inert gas matrices ..................................................................... 55 2.6 Ethene in inert gas matrices ................................................................... 57 2.7 Metal atoms in inert gas matrices ........................................................... 60 2.8 Reactions of metal atoms with ethene in inert matrices.......................... 68 2.9 References for Chapter 2........................................................................ 82 Chapter 3: Experimental and theoretical methods used for the analysis of reactions involving transition metal centres with organic substrates................... 88 3.0 Overview of technical section ................................................................. 88 3.1 Basic experiments in the matrix isolation system.................................... 88 3.1.1 Experimental system for studying transition metal reactions................ 90 3.1.2 The vacuum system used for matrix isolation experiments