Methylene-Linked Triazolylidenes as Cooperative Ligands in Manganese-Catalyzed N-Alkylation

We elucidate the mechanism of the manganese-catalyzed N-alkylation of aniline with benzyl alcohol mediated by a bis(1,2,3-triazolylidene) Mn(I) complex through a combination of experimental studies and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Activation of the precatalyst by a base leads to the...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Batuecas, Maria, Garcia, Beatriz, Saviozzi, Chiara, Viana, Maria S., Maseras, Feliu, Royo, Beatriz
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Zaragoza
Repositorio:Zaguán. Repositorio Digital de la Universidad de Zaragoza
OAI Identifier:oai:dnet:zaguan______::acda99d7d6f095bf2126ca01131c7de8
Acceso en línea:http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/171047
Access Level:acceso abierto
Descripción
Sumario:We elucidate the mechanism of the manganese-catalyzed N-alkylation of aniline with benzyl alcohol mediated by a bis(1,2,3-triazolylidene) Mn(I) complex through a combination of experimental studies and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Activation of the precatalyst by a base leads to the formation of an anionic alkoxo complex featuring a deprotonated methylene bridge, which is identified as the catalytically active species. Notably, the methylene linker exhibits previously unrecognized noninnocent behavior, undergoing reversible deprotonation and participating directly in proton-transfer steps of the catalytic cycle. Kinetic isotope effects and deuterium-labeling experiments support the involvement of both hydride transfer and alcohol-assisted proton processes in the rate-determining steps. These findings uncover a new mode of metal–ligand cooperation in triazolylidene-based manganese catalysts and provide mechanistic guidelines for the design of cooperative ligands in base-metal-borrowing hydrogen catalysis.