Bonding Nature of “Ionic Carbenes” in [M3(μ3–CH2)]-Containing Compounds: The Covalent Interaction

While a series of trinuclear rare-earth metal methylene (divalent >CH2) complexes with the so-called "ionic carbene" have been known for decades, the nature of metal-carbene interactions in this class of compounds remains elusive. Herein, a quantum chemical investigation has been performed to reveal the bonding nature in typical trimetallic "ionic carbene" species with the [M3(μ3-CH2)] (M = Sc, Y, La, and Ac) cluster core. Through various chemical bonding analyses, we have demonstrated that there exists a non-negligible covalent interaction between μ3-CH2 and M3 moieties, and the chemical bonding can be accounted for with two three-center two-electron (3c-2e) bonds. The chemical bonding analyses reveal that the metal d-electron configuration plays an important role in stabilizing various μ3-coordinated carbene complexes. The late transition metals do not favor such a μ3-coordination geometry, thus explaining why ionic carbene complexes are usually found for rare-earth and early transition metals. A series of ionic carbene complexes with early transition metals, lanthanides, and actinides are predicted to be stable as well. These reactive ionic carbene complexes may have characteristic properties for organic synthesis and catalysis.