Alkane Dehydrogenation by Iridium Complexes

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/ja00365a021

Cyclopentene reacts with IrH2S2L2⁺ at 40 deg C (S = H2O or acetone; L = PPh3) to give CpIrHL2⁺.The same product is formed cyclopentane at 80 deg C in the presence of 3,3-dimethyl-1-butene (5).Cyclooctene or cyclooctane and 5 give Ir(1,5-cyclopentadiene)L⁺.Evidence against colloid, radical, or carbonium mechanisms is given.We propose that this system constitutes the first example of a reversible hydrogenation of an alkane by a transition-metal complex.