Regular paper

Cyclooctadiene Rh(I) Bis- and Tris(pyrazolyl)aluminate Complexes and Their Catalytic Activity on the Polymerization of Phenylacetylene

In this work, we report the transfer of alkyl bis- and tris(pyrazolyl)aluminates metalloligands to an electron-rich organotransition metal center. The 16-electron heterobimetallic complexes of rhodium [Rh(COD){Al(Ph₂pz)₂Me₂}] (3) and [Rh(COD){Al(Ph₂pz)₃Me}] (4) were obtained by metathesis reaction of the sodium bis- (1) and tris(pyrazolyl)aluminate (2) with [RhCl(COD)]₂. For 3, ¹H and ¹³C NMR in solution along with DFT calculations are consistent with a κ²-coordination mode of the bis(pyrazolyl)aluminate to a square-planar Rh(I) center. The X-ray structure of 4 shows a similar κ²-coordination mode of the tris(pyrazolyl)aluminate to Rh(I) with a pendant pyrazolyl moiety. The attempted synthesis of aluminate-rhodium complexes with R = CF₃, ^tBu on the pyrazolate ring afforded [Rh(R₂pz)(COD)]₂ and [R₂pzAlMe₂]₂. Complexes 3 and 4 were investigated as homogeneous catalysts in the polymerization of phenylacetylene (PA). Both complexes showed enhanced catalytic activity compared to analogous rhodium poly(pyrazolyl)borates. Optimized gas-phase DFT geometries of 3, 4, [Rh(COD){B(Ph₂pz)₂Me₂}], and [Rh(COD){B(Ph₂pz)₃Me}] were used to compare bite angles, while DFT geometries of 3-CO, 4-CO, [Rh(CO)₂{B(Ph₂pz)₂Me₂}], and [Rh(CO)₂{B(Ph₂pz)₃Me}] were employed to probe the electronic situation of the rhodium center through IR CO stretching modes. The wider bite angles and the less electron-rich rhodium center of the poly(pyrazolyl)aluminates compared with their borate analogues could be implicated in the better performance of the active catalytic species during polymerization of PA.

Neutral and Cationic Complexes with P-Bonded 2-Pyridylphosphines as N-Donor Ligands toward Rhodium. Electrical Charge vs Steric Hindrance on the Conformational Control

Bimetallic palladium(II)-rhodium(I) and gold(I)-rhodium(I) complexes of the type [(4,4'-Me2-bipy)(C6F5)Pd(mu-PPh(3-n)Pyn)Rh(diene)](BF4)2 and [(C6F5)Au(mu-PPh(3-n)Pyn)Rh(diene)](BF4) (n = 2, 3; Py = 2-pyridyl) have been synthesized. The P donor atom of the bridging ligands (mu-PPh(3-n)Pyn) is coordinated to the Pd or to the Au center. The resulting complexes react with [Rh(diolefin)(solv)2]+ (solv = acetone) in a way similar to pyrazolylborates, affording square-planar or pentacoordinated rhodium complexes with two or the three N-donor ends chelating the Rh atom. The metallacycles formed upon chelation can adopt one of two conformations in the square-planar Rh(I) complexes, either bringing the other metal close to the Rh center or bringing it to a remote position. The first conformation is preferred for the gold P-coordinated complexes and the second for the palladium complexes. The X-ray structures of [(4,4'-Me2-bipy)](C6F5)Pd(mu-PPhPy2)Rh(COD)](BF4)2 (COD = 1,5 cyclooctadiene) and [Au(C6F5)(mu-PPhPy2)Rh(TFB)](BF4) (TFB = 5,6,7,8-tetrafuoro-1,4-dihydro-1,4-etenonaphthalene) are reported.

Anionic Platinum Complexes with 2-Pyridylphosphines as Ligands for Rhodium: Synthesis of Zwitterionic Pt−Rh Organometallic Compounds

Bimetallic zwitterionic platinum(II)-rhodium(I) complexes of the type [(C(6)F(5))(3)Pt(micro-PPy(n)Ph(3)(-)(n)Rh(CO)(2))] and [(C(6)F(5))(3)Pt(micro-PPy(n)Ph(3)(-)(n)())Rh(diene))] (n = 2, 3; Py = 2-pyridyl) have been prepared. The P end of the bridging ligands (micro-PPy(n)Ph(3)(-)(n)) is always coordinated to the Pt center, while the N-donor ends chelate the Rh atom, giving metallacycles comparable to pyrazolylborate-Rh complexes. These metallacycles can adopt two conformations, either with the Pt complex in pseudoaxial position approaching the Rh center or with the Pt complex in a remote position. The preferred conformation depends on the steric hindrance at the rhodium center. In less sterically demanding Rh-carbonyl complexes the Pt moiety gets close to the Rh moiety as this brings closer the opposite charges of the zwitterion. For diene complexes mixtures of conformers are obtained. The X-ray structures of [(C(6)F(5))(3)Pt(micro-PPhPy(2))Rh(COD)] (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) and [(C(6)F(5))(3)Pt(micro-PPhPy(2))Rh(CO)(2)] are reported.

Rhodium complexes with the chelating and binucleating ligands P(CH2CH2Py)nPh3-n (Py = 2-pyridyl; n = 1,2): structures and fluxional behavior

Several rhodium(I) complexes of the type [RhX(CO)(PePy2)], [Rh(diene)(PePy)]+, and [Rh(diene)(PePy2)]+ (PePyn = P(CH2CH2Py)nPh3-n; Py = 2-pyridyl; n = 1, 2) have been prepared. The two former are square planar; the latter are pentacoordinated for diene = tetrafluorobenzobarrelene or norbornadiene (confirmed by X-ray diffraction), but an equilibrium of 4- and 5-coordinate isomers exists in solution for diene = 1,5-cyclooctadiene. The fluxional behavior of all these complexes is studied by NMR spectroscopy. The complex [Rh(NBD)(PePy2)]PF6.Cl2CH2 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/n with a = 8.455(1) A, b = 18.068(3) A, c = 19.729(3) A, beta = 99.658(3)degrees, and Z = 4. The complexes [Rh(diene)(PePy2)]+ react with CO to give the dimeric complex [Rh2(CO)2[P(CH2CH2Py)2Ph]2](BF4)2 with the pyridylphosphine acting as P,N-chelating and P,N-bridging.

Substitution and hydrogenation reactions on rhodium(I)-ethylene complexes of the hydrotris(pyrazolyl)borate ligands T (T = Tp, TpMe2)

The bis(ethylene) Rh species TpMe2Rh(C2H4)2(1*) (TpMe2 = tris(3,5-dimethyl-1-pyrazol-1-yl)hydroborate) has been obtained from [RhCl(C2H4)2]2 and KTpMe2. Complex 1* easily decomposes in solution to give mainly the butadiene species TpMe2Rh(eta74-C4H6). In the solid state its thermal decomposition follows a different course and the allyl TpMe2RhH(syn-C3H4Me) is cleanly obtained as a mixture of exo and endo isomers. The complexes Tp'Rh(C2H4)2 (Tp' = Tp, TpMe2) afford the monosubstituted species Tp'Rh(C2H4)(PR3) upon reaction with PR3 but react differently with L = CO or CNR: the Tp compound gives dinuclear [TpRh]2(mu-L)3 complexes, while, in the case of 1*, TpMe2Rh(C2H4)(L) species are obtained. The ethylene ligand of complexes TpMe2Rh(C2H4)(PR3) is labile, and several peroxo compounds of composition TpMe2Rh(O2)(PR3) have been isolated by their reaction with O2. All the mononuclear Rh(I) complexes are formulated as 18e- trigonal bipyramidal species on the basis of IR and NMR spectroscopic studies. A series of dihydride complexes of Rh(III) of formulation Tp'RhH2(PR3) have been prepared by the hydrogenation of the corresponding ethylene derivatives. Complexes [TpRh]2(mu-CNCy)3, TpMe2Rh(C2H4)(PEt3), and TpMe2Rh(O2)(PEt3) have been further characterized by X-ray diffraction studies.