Hydridobipyridine rhodium complexes as a result of the C-H bond activation in coordinated ligand, NMR studies

2,2′-Bipyridine ligand in Rh(I) complexes undergoes H3,3′-D3,3′ exchange in basic solution CD3ONa/CD3OD. The hydride resonances in the range −14 to −28 ppm are observed although the only hydrogen source is bpy ligand. This strongly suggests that oxidative addition of C3-H to rhodium takes place in the exchange process.