Synthesis, characterization of novel half-sandwich iridium and rhodium complexes containing pyridine-based organochalcogen ligands

A series of neutral pyridine-based organochalcogen ligands, 2,6-bis(1-methylimidazole-2-thione) pyridine (Bmtp), 2,6-bis(1-isopropylimidazole-2-thione) pyridine (Bptp), and 2,6-bis(1-tert-butylimidazole2-thione) pyridine (Bbtp) have been synthesized and characterized. Reactions of [Cp*M(mu-Cl)Cl](2) (Cp* = eta(5)-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl, M = Ir, Rh) with three pyridine-based organochalcogen ligands result in the formation of the complexes Cp*M(L)Cl-2 (M = Ir, L = Bmtp, 1a center dot Cl-2; M = Rh, L = Bmtp, 1b center dot Cl-2; M = Ir, L = Bptp, 2a center dot Cl-2; M = Rh, L = Bptp, 2b center dot Cl-2; M = Ir, L = Bbtp, 3a center dot Cl-2; M = Rh, L = Bbtp, 3b center dot Cl-2), respectively. All compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis, NMR and IR spectra. The molecular structures of Bbtp, 1a center dot Cl-2, 1b center dot Cl-2, 2b center dot Cl-2 and 3b center dot Cl-2 have been determined by X-ray crystallography. (C) 2009 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.