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Despite their connection to ammonia synthesis, little is known about the ability of iron‐bound, bridging nitrides to form N−H bonds. Herein we report a linear diiron bridging nitride complex supported by a redox‐active macrocycle. The unique ability of the ligand scaffold to adapt to the geometric preference of the bridging species was found to facilitate the formation of N−H bonds via proton‐coupled electron transfer to generate a μ‐amide product. The structurally analogous μ‐silyl‐ and μ‐borylamide complexes were shown to form from the net insertion of the nitride into the E−H bonds (E=B, Si). Protonation of the parent bridging amide produced ammonia in high yield, and treatment of the nitride with PhSH was found to liberate NH3 in high yield through a reaction that engages the redox‐activity of the ligand during PCET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dicobalt complexes supported by flexible macrocyclic ligands were used to target the generation of the bridging nitrido species [( nPDI2)Co2(μ-N)(PMe3)2]3+ (PDI=2,6-pyridyldiimine; n=2, 3, corresponding to the number of catenated methylene units between imino nitrogen atoms). Depending on the size of the macrocycle and the reaction conditions (solution versus solid-state), the thermolysis of azide precursors yielded bridging phosphinimido [(2PDI2)Co2(μ-NPMe3)(PMe3)2]3+, amido [( nPDI2)Co2(μ-NH2)(PMe3)2]3+ ( n=2, 3), and C−H amination [(3PDI2*-μ-NH)Co2(PMe3)2]3+ products. All results are consistent with the initial formation of [( nPDI2)Co2(μ-N)(PMe3)2]3+, followed by 1) PMe3 attack on the nitride, 2) net hydrogen-atom transfer to form N−H bonds, or 3) C−H amination of the alkyl linker of the nPDI2 ligand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]