The preparation and characterisation of rhodium(III) and Iridium(III) half sandwich complexes with napthalene-1,8-dithiolate, acenaphthene-5,6-dithiolate and biphenyl-2,2′-dithiolate

• Full spectral and crystallographic characterisation of a new dithiol compound.
• Crystallographic studies of dithiol ligands and precursor complexes.
• Synthesis of half sandwich Rh and Ir dithiolato complexes by metathesis.
• Full spectral and crystallographic characterisation of all half sandwich complexes.

The synthesis of rhodium(III) and iridium (III) half sandwich complexes [Cp*M(PEt3) (S-R-S)], M = Rh, Ir; S-R-S = naphthalene-1,8-dithiolate (NaphthS2, a), acenaphthene-5,6-dithiolate (AcenapS2, b) and biphenyl-2,2′-dithiolate (BiphenS2, c) is reported. We also describe the isolation of a new compound acenaphthene-1,8-dithiol. All complexes have been fully characterised using multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The ligands naphthalene-1,8-dithiol (H2a), acenaphthene-1,8-dithiol (H2b), 1,1′-biphenyl-2,2′-dithiol (H2c) and benzene-1,2-dithiol (H2d) have also been characterised by single crystal X-ray diffraction.

A series of “piano stool” type rhodium and iridium complexes have been prepared using simple dithiols without the need for base. A Cp* ring caps the complex while a neutral phosphine donor fills the vacant coordination site.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide