DEFINITIVE EXAMPLES OF POLYHYDRIDE COMPLEXES WHICH DO NOT ELIMINATE H2 IN THE PRIMARY PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTION. PHOTODISSOCIATION OF PR3 FROM AND COMPLEXES

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0022-328X(00)86632-2

Irradiation of the complexes (L=PMe2Ph, PMePh2, PPh3) and gives efficient loss of phosphine in the primary photochemical reaction, in contrast to most monomeric polyhydride complexes which lose H2 upon photolysis.The 366 nm quantum yields for the complexes range from 0.13-0.18; the 366 nm quantum yield for PMe2Ph loss from is 0.4.Under an H2 atmosphere, is converted into upon photolysis; the pentahydrides in turn lose another equivalent of phosphine to give the corresponding complexes.The heptahydrides are themselves photosensitive and react to give a mixture of and dimers.Photolysis of degassed solutions of the complexes leads to a complex of , , , and .The efficient photoelimination of L from the complexes is discussed in view of the reported photochemistry of which loses H2 upon irradiation.