Rhodium(III) pentamethyl cyclopentadienyl complexes incorporating 1-(4-cyanophenyl)-imidazole: role of solvent in ligand substitution reactions

Reaction of the dimeric rhodium complex [{(η5-C5Me5)Rh(μ-Cl)Cl}2] with an excess of 1-(4-cyanophenyl)-imidazole in dichloromethane afforded neutral mononuclear complex [(η5-C5Me5)RhCl2(CPI)] (CPI = 1-(4-cyanophenyl)-imidazole) 1 and its substitutd products with EPh3 (E = P, As, Sb) and N-N donor bases, where the nature of the product was governed by polarity of the solvents employed in the reaction.