Synthesis of new mer,trans-rhodium(III) hydrido-bis(acetylide) complexes: Structure of mer,trans-[(PMe3)3Rh(CC–C6H4-4-NMe2)2H]

Terminal alkynes (R–CC–H, R = 1-naphthyl, 9-anthryl, 4-Me2N–C6H4–, or the longer analogue, 4-(4-Me2N–C6H4–CC–)–C6H4–) react with [Rh(PMe3)4Me] at ambient temperature, with loss of methane and one PMe3 ligand, to form the corresponding mer,trans-[(PMe3)3Rh(CCR)2H] compounds in excellent yield. In this preliminary study, the synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of the four new compounds are reported, along with the single-crystal structure of the R = 4-Me2N–C6H4 derivative.

Graphical abstractThe new complexes mer,trans-[(PMe3)3Rh(–CCR)2H] (R = 1-naphthyl, 9-anthracenyl, 4-Me2N–C6H4, 4-(Me2N–C6H4–CC–)C6H4) were formed cleanly and in excellent yield from reaction of [(PMe3)4RhMe] with the corresponding terminal alkynes.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide