Allylic C–H Activation of Olefins by a TpMe2IrIII Compound

Abstract

The Ir III compound [Tp Me2 Ir(C 6 H 5 ) 2 (N 2 )] (1) [Tp Me2 = hydridotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)borate] reacts with 1-hexene, propene, α-methylstyrene, and 2,3-dimethylbutadiene to yield organometallic products that derive from allylic C-H activations (complexes 3 from 1-hexene, 2 from propene, 5 from α-methylstyrene, and 7, 8, and 9 from 2,3-dimethylbutadiene), in all cases along with organic products formed in catalytic (Ir-induced) dehydrogenative coupling of benzene (the solvent of the reaction) and the corresponding olefin, with the latter also [a]