Novel 18e̅ and 16e̅ pentamethylcyclopentadienyl
rhodium(III)
complexes [(η5-C5Me5)RhX(NPN)]
(1a,b, X = Cl; 2a–c, X = PF6, BAr4
F) with chelating zwitterionic iminophosphonamide
(NPN) ligands (Ph2P(NR)(NR′); a, R
= R′ = p-Tol; b, R = p-Tol, R′ = Me; c, R = R′ = Me)
were synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.
In the 16e̅ complexes 2, the rhodium (Rh) atom
is efficiently stabilized by π-donation of unshared N electrons,
thus hampering coordination of the external ligands and rendering
the 18e̅ complexes labile. Due to low coordination enthalpy,
the cationic 18e̅ monocarbonyl and pyridine adducts 2a·L are stable only at low temperatures. At room temperature, 2·CO adducts readily give stable carbonyl–carbamoyl
complexes [(η5-C5Me5)Rh(CO){(CO(NR′)Ph2P(NR)}]+ (4) formed as a result of
CO insertion into the Rh–N bond, thus showing high nucleophilicity
of the N atoms in 18e̅ complexes. High basicity of the Na+NPN– precursors caused side deprotonation
of the η5-C5Me5 ligand during
the synthesis of 1 that yields unstable fulvene Rh(I)
complexes [(η4-C5Me4CH2)Rh{Ph2P(NR)(NR′)2}] (3a,b). Complex 3a undergoes a facile reaction with isoprene
to yield an unusual [(η5:η1-C5Me4(CH2)C(Me)CHCH2)Rh(NPN)] complexthe first example of intermolecular 1,4-metallacycloaddition
of diene to the Rh–fulvene complex.