Activation of CO by hydrogenated magnesium(I) dimers: sterically controlled formation of ethenediolate and cyclopropanetriolate complexes

This study details the formal hydrogenation of two magnesium(I) dimers {(Nacnac)Mg}2 (Nacnac = [{(C6H3R2-2,6)NCMe}2CH]−; R = Pri (DipNacnac), Et (DepNacnac)) using 1,3-cyclohexadiene. These reactions afford the magnesium(II) hydride complexes, {(Nacnac)Mg(μ-H)}2. Their reactions with excess CO are sterically controlled and lead cleanly to different C–C coupled products, viz. the ethenediolate complex, (DipNacnac)Mg{κ1-O-[(DipNacnac)Mg(κ2-O,O-O2C2H2)]}, and the first cyclopropanetriolate complex of any metal, cis-{(DepNacnac)Mg}3{μ-C3(H3)O3}. Computational studies imply the CO activation processes proceed via very similar mechanisms to those previously reported for related reactions involving f-block metal hydride compounds. This work highlights the potential magnesium compounds hold for use in the “Fischer–Tropsch-like” transformation of CO/H2 mixtures to value added oxygenate products.