Monomeric thiosalicylaldiminate complexes of rhodium(I) and iridium(I) were prepared by ligand
transfer from the homoleptic zinc(II) species. In the presence of strongly donating ligands, the iridium
complexes undergo insertion of the metal into the imine carbon−hydrogen bond. Thiophenoxyketimines
were prepared by nontemplated reaction of o-mercaptoacetophenone with anilines and were complexed
with rhodium(I), iridium(I), nickel(II), and platinum(II). X-ray crystallographic studies showed that while
the thiosalicylaldiminate complexes display planar ligand conformations, those of the thiophenoxyketiminates are strongly distorted. Results of a computational study predicted that all synthetically accessible
thiophenoxyketiminates will display distorted geometries.