Secondary Oxide Phosphines to Promote Tandem Acyl-Alkyl Coupling/Hydrogen Transfer to Afford (Hydroxyalkyl)rhodium Complexes. Theoretical and Experimental Studies.

Acyl(σ-norbornenyl)rhodium(III) dimer [Rh(µ-Cl)(C9H6NCO)(C7H9)L]2 (1) (C7H9 = σ-norbornenyl; L = 4-picoline, isoquinoline) reacts with diphenylphosphine oxide (SPO) to undergo a one-pot reaction involving (i) cleavage of the chloride bridges and coordination of the phosphine, (ii) C-C bond coupling between acyl and norbornenyl in a 18e species, and (iii) ligand-assisted outer-sphere O(P)-to-O(C) hydrogen transfer, to afford mononuclear 16e species [RhCl{(C9H6NC(O)C7H9)(Ph2PO)H}(L)] (2) containing a quinolinyl-(norbornenylhydroxyalkyl) fragment hydrogen-bonded to a κ1- P-phosphinite ligand. Pentacoordinated 2, which adopt a distorted trigonal bipyramidal structure, are kinetic reaction products that transform into the thermodynamic favored isomers 3. Structures 3 contain an unusual weak η1-C anagostic interaction involving the rhodium atom and one carbon atom of the olefinic C-H bond of the norbornenyl substituent in the chelating quinolinyl-hydroxyalkyl moiety. Their structure can be described as pseudoctahedral, through a 5 + 1 coordination, with the anagostic interaction in a trans disposition with respect to the phosphorus atom of the phosphinite ligand. Complexes were characterized in solution by NMR spectroscopy and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Complex [RhCl{(C9H6NC(O)C7H9)(Ph2PO)H}(4-picoline)] (3a) was also identified by X-ray diffraction. Density functional theory calculations confirm the proposed structures by a plausible set of mechanisms that accounts for the 1 (monomer) → 2 → 3 transformation. Lowest-energy pathways involve reductive elimination of quinolinylnorbornenylketone, still coordinated in the rhodium(I) species thus formed, followed by O-to-O hydrogen transfer from κ1- P-SPO to the sp3 hybridized carbonyl group (formal alkoxide) avoiding the otherwise expected classical release of ketone. Theoretical 13C NMR studies also confirm the experimental spectral data for the considered structures.

Stereoselective formation and catalytic activity of hydrido(acylphosphane)(chlorido)(pyrazole)rhodium(III) complexes. Experimental and DFT studies.

The reaction of [{RhCl(COD)}2] (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) with L = pyrazole (Hpz), 3(5)-methylpyrazole (Hmpz) or 3,5-dimethylpyrazole (Hdmpz) and PPh2(o-C6H4CHO) (Rh : L : P = 1 : 2 : 1) gives hydridoacyl complexes [RhHCl{PPh2(o-C6H4CO)}(L)2] (). Stereoselective formation of and with pyrazoles trans to hydrido and phosphorus and hydrogen bond formation with O-acyl and chlorido occur. is a mixture of two linkage isomers in a 9 : 1 ratio, with two 5-methylpyrazole ligands or with one 3- and one 5-methylpyrazole ligand, respectively. Fluxional undergoes metallotropic tautomerization and is a mixture of equal amounts of and , with hydrido trans to pyrazole or chlorido, respectively. Complexes readily exchange hydrido by chlorido to afford [RhCl2{PPh2(o-C6H4CO)}(L)2] (, and ) as single isomers with cis chloridos and two N-HCl hydrogen bonds. The reaction of with PPh3 or PPh2OH affords static [RhHCl{PPh2(o-C6H4CO)}(PPh3)L] () or [RhHCl{PPh2(o-C6H4CO)}(PPh2OH)L] () respectively with trans P-atoms and pyrazoles forming N-HCl hydrogen bonds. and contain single species with hydrido cis to chlorido, while is a mixture of equal amounts of and . Complexes , with an additional O-HO hydrogen bond, selectively contain only the cis-H,Cl species with all the three ligands. The reaction of [{RhCl(COD)}2] with L and PPh2(o-C6H4CHO) (Rh : L : P = 1 : 1 : 2) led to complexes with trans P-atoms, [RhHCl{PPh2(o-C6H4CO)}{PPh2(o-C6H4CHO)-κP}L] (, and ), at room temperature, and to [RhCl{PPh2(o-C6H4CO)}{PPh2(o-C6H4CHOH)}(Hmpz)] () or [RhCl{PPh2(o-C6H4CO)}2L] () with hydrogen evolution in refluxing benzene. DFT calculations were used to predict the correct isomers, their ratios and the particular intramolecular hydrogen bonds in these complexes. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis was performed on , and . Complexes are efficient homogeneous catalysts (0.5 mol% loading) in the hydrolysis of amine- or ammonia-borane (AB) to generate up to 3 equivalents of hydrogen in the presence of air.