A series of low-valent square-planar Rh complexes [
LH
Rh][X] (X = PF6, Br, Cl, I) bearing two protic imidazolyl phosphines (one
κ2) and a CO ligand were synthesized and fully characterized.
A comparison of the CO stretching frequencies with those of the previously
reported [
LH
Ir][X] complexes indicates a much lower electron density at the Rh centers.
This lower electron density at Rh results in a lower propensity to
undergo ligand to metal proton transfer, and in contrast to observations
with Ir, the [
LH
Rh][X] complexes (X = Cl, Br, I) do not equilibrate with their metal-protonated
congeners. Furthermore, the weaker bond strengths of Rh complexes
compared to Ir lead to an increased degree of fluxionality in the
former, along with a difference in reactivity with hydrogen (H2) and iodine (I2).