Formation of heterobimetallic zirconium/cobalt diimido complexes via a four-electron transformation

Abstract

The reactivity of the reduced heterobimetallic complex Zr(iPrNPiPr2)3CoN2 (1) toward aryl azides was examined, revealing a four-electron redox transformation to afford unusual heterobimetallic zirconium/cobalt diimido complexes. In the case of p-tolyl azide, the diamagnetic C3-symmetric bis(terminal imido) complex 3 is formed, but mesityl azide instead leads to asymmetric complex 4 featuring a bridging imido fragment.