Synthesis of a heterobimetallic rhodium-iron complex containing an η3-interaction between rhodium and the B-Cipso-Cortho unit of a triarylborane

Reaction of [{RhCl(CO)(2)}(2)] with a phosphine/thioether/borane ligand (TXPB) gave [Rh(mu-Cl)(CO)(TXPB)] (1), a rare example of a complex containing a M-Cl-BR3 bridging interaction. Reaction of 1 with K[ CpFe( CO) 2] gave [(TXPB)Rh(mu-CO)(2)Fe(CO)Cp] ( 2), which contains an unprecedented eta(3)-interaction between rhodium and the B-C-ipso-C-ortho unit of a triarylborane. DFT calculations suggest a bonding description intermediate between that expected for an isolated borane/alkene complex and a fully delocalized allyl-like complex.