Formation and Thermal Reactions of Rh-C Bonds Derived from the Reactions of (RhOEP)2 with Alkyl C-H Bonds in Alkylaromatics

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/ja00312a023

(Octaethylporphyrin)rhodium(II) dimer, (RhOEP)2, reacts with toluene and related methyl-substituted aromatics at the methyl C-H bonds to form organometallic benzyl derivatives.Longer chain alkyl substituents react initially at the benzylic C-H bond but subsequently rearrange to place the RhOEP unit at a less hindered alkyl carbon position.Isopropylbenzene reacts with (RhOEP)2 to form RhOEP(CH2CH(CH3)C6H5) as the only observed organometallic compound.Thermal decompositions of the alkylaromatic complexes of RhOEP result in equal amounts of alkane and alkene in the absence of O2 and aldehydes and ketones in the presence of O2.