Synthesis, structure, and conformational dynamics of rhodium and iridium complexes of dimethylbis(2-pyridyl)borate

Rhodium(I) and Iridium(I) borate complexes [Me2B(2-py)2]ML2 (L2 = (tBuNC)2, (CO)2, (C2H4)2, cod, dppe) have a boat-configured chelate ring that participates in a boat-to-boat ring flip. The barrier of this ring flip is correlated to the π acceptor ability of the ancillary ligand groups on the metal.