Synthesis, characterisation and reactivity of water-soluble ferrocenylimine-Rh(I) complexes as aqueous-biphasic hydroformylation catalyst precursors

A series of water-soluble sulfonatosalicylaldimine-ferrocenylimine complexes and their corresponding rhodium complexes of general formula: [Fc-Rh(sulfsal)(COD)] [Fc = ferrocenylimine, sulfsal = sulfonated salicylaldimine, COD = cyclooctadiene] were synthesised and characterised using standard spectroscopic and analytical techniques. The heterobimetalic complexes show moderate activity as hydroformylation catalyst precursors.109