Substitution reactions of diphenyl-2-pyridylphosphine with [(η5-C5Me5)M(μ-Cl)Cl]2 (M = Rh or Ir) dimers: Isolation of mono–, di– and chelating complexes

The reaction of [{(η5-C5Me5)M(μ-Cl)Cl}2] {where M = Rh (1), Ir (2)} with functionalized phosphine viz., diphenyl-2-pyridylphosphine (PPh2Py) in dichloromethane solvent yield neutral ϰ1-P-coordinated rhodium and iridium complexes [(η5-C5Me5)RhCl2(κ1-P-PPh2Py)]3 and [(η5-C5Me5) IrCl2(ϰ1-P-PPh2Py)]4. Reaction of complexes 1 and 2 with the ligand PPh2Py in methanol under reflux give bis-substituted complexes such as [(η5-C5Me5)RhCl(ϰ1-P-PPh2Py)2]+5 and [(η5-C5Me5)IrCl(ϰ1-P-PPh2Py)2]+6, whereas stirring in methanol at room temperature gives P-, N-chelating complexes of the type [(η5-C5Me5)RhCl(ϰ2-P-N-PPh2Py)]+ 7 and [(η5-C5Me5)IrCl(ϰ2-P-N-PPh2Py)]+8. Neutral ϰ1-P-coordinated complexes [(η5-C5Me5)RhCl2(ϰ1-P-PPh2Py)]3 and [(η5-C5Me5)IrCl2(ϰ1-P-PPh2Py)]4 easily undergo conversion to the cationic P-, N-chelating complexes [(η5-C5Me5)RhCl(ϰ2-P-N-PPh2Py)]+7 and [(η5-C5Me5) IrCl(ϰ2-P, N-PPh2Py)]+8 on stirring in methanol at room temperature. These complexes are characterized by FT-IR and FT-NMR spectroscopy as well as analytical methods. The molecular structures of the representative complexes [(η5-C5Me5)RhCl2(ϰ1-P-PPh2Py)]3, [(η5-C5Me5)IrCl2(ϰ1-P-PPh2Py)]4 and hexafluorophosphate salt of complex [(η5-C5Me5)IrCl(ϰ2-P-PPh2Py)2]+6 are established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods