Rhodium carbonyl complexes featuring carbodiphosphorane-based pincer ligands

The coordination of a pincer ligand with a protonated carbodiphosphorane (CDP) as central donor group, [(dppm)(2)CH](+) (1), in the rhodium(I) complex [({dppm}(2)CH)RhCl(CO)](+) (2) is reported (dppm = 1,1-bis (diphenylphosphino)methane). In contrast to related iridium(I) precursors, no C-H-oxidative addition is observed with [RhCl(CO)(2)](2) in this reaction. The different reactivity of rhodium(I) and iridium(I) precursors is investigated by means of density functional theory (DFT). Finally, the CDP-based pincer-type complex [({dppm}(2)C)Rh(CO)](+) (3) was obtained by deprotonation of complex 2. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The coordination of a pincer ligand with a protonated carbodiphosphorane as central donor group in the rhodium(I) complex and the different reactivity of rhodium(I) and iridium(I) precursors were studied, leading to the successful synthesis of a CDP-based pincer-type complex.