IRIDIUM(III) METALLACYCLES FROM ELECTROPHILIC ADDITION OF DICHLOROCARBENE LIGANDS TO TRIPHENYLPHOSPHINE LIGANDS AND THE CRYSTAL STRUCTURES OF AND

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(85)80309-0

Treatment of IrCl2(CF3)(CO)(PPh3)2 with BCl3 yields ⁺ (1), which immediately undergoes metallacycle formation by electrophilic attack of the CCl2 ligand on a benzene ring of one PPh3 ligand to give (2). 2 is readily hydrolysed to (3), while further reaction between 2 and BCl3 results in a metallabicyclic complex, (4).Hydrolysis of 4 affords (5).Similarly, 4 reacts with ethanol to give (6).The structures of 3 and 5 have been confirmed by X-ray crystallography.