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Among phenol-derived electrophiles, aryl sulfamates are attractive substrates since they can be employed as directing groups for C-H functionalization prior to catalysis. However, their use in C-N coupling is limited only to Ni catalysis. Here, we describe a Pd-based catalyst with a broad scope for the amination of aryl sulfamates. We show that the N -methyl-2-aminobiphenyl palladacycle supported by the PCyp 2 Ar Xyl2 ligand (Cyp = cyclopentyl; Ar Xyl2 = 2,6-bis(2,6-dimethylphenyl)phenyl) efficiently catalyzes the C-N coupling of aryl sulfamates with a variety of nitrogen nucleophiles, including anilines, primary and secondary alkyl amines, heteroaryl amines, N -heterocycles, and primary amides. DFT calculations support that the oxidative addition of the aryl sulfamate is the rate-determining step. The C-N coupling takes place through a cationic pathway in the polar protic medium., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

A series of enantiopure chiral NH 2 /SO palladium complexes have been synthesised with high yields by treating the corresponding tert -butylsulfinamide/sulfoxide derivatives with Pd(CH 3 CN) 2 Cl 2 . The enantiopure chiral ligands were prepared by stereoselective addition of tert -butyl or phenyl methylsulfinyl carbanions to different tert -butylsulfinylimines. In all cases, coordination occurs with concomitant desulfinylation. X-ray studies of the Pd complexes showed a higher trans influence of the phenylsulfinyl group in comparison to that of the tert -butylsulfinyl group. Furthermore, we have obtained and characterised two possible palladium amine/sulfonyl complexes, epimers at sulfur, resulting from N -desulfinylation and coordination of palladium with both oxygens of the prochiral sulfonyl group. The catalytic activity and enantioselectivity of the new Pd(II) complexes of acetylated amine/ tert -butyl- and phenylsulfoxides in the carboxylated cyclopropanes arylation reaction has been studied, obtaining the best results with the phenylsulfoxide ligand 25(SC,SS) that produced the final arylated product in a 93 :7 enantiomeric ratio.

2-Aminobiphenyl palladacycles are among the most successful precatalysts for Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions, including aryl amination. However, the role of NH-carbazole, a byproduct of precatalyst activation, remains poorly understood. Herein, the mechanism of the aryl amination reactions catalyzed by a cationic 2-aminobiphenyl palladacycle supported by a terphenyl phosphine ligand, PCyp 2 Ar Xyl2 (Cyp = cyclopentyl; Ar Xyl2 = 2,6-bis(2,6-dimethylphenyl)phenyl), P1 , has been thoroughly investigated. Combining computational and experimental studies, we found that the Pd(II) oxidative addition intermediate reacts with NH-carbazole in the presence of the base (NaO t Bu) to yield a stable aryl carbazolyl Pd(II) complex. This species functions as the catalyst resting state, providing the amount of monoligated LPd(0) species required for catalysis and minimizing Pd decomposition. In the case of a reaction with aniline, an equilibrium between the carbazolyl complex and the on-cycle anilido analogue is established, which allows for a fast reaction at room temperature. In contrast, heating is required in a reaction with alkylamines, whose deprotonation involves coordination to the Pd center. A microkinetic model was built combining computational and experimental data to validate the mechanistic proposals. In conclusion, our study shows that despite the rate reduction observed in some reactions by the formation of the aryl carbazolyl Pd(II) complex, this species reduces catalyst decomposition and could be considered an alternative precatalyst in cross-coupling reactions., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Despite the excellent catalytic properties display by NHC-Pd-PEPPSI complexes in cross-coupling, phosphane analogs have been barely screened. In this work, we report the synthesis and characterization of a series of LPdCl 2 (amine) complexes bearing dialkylterphenyl phosphanes (PR 2 Ar') and pyridine or morpholine ligands. The novel compounds have been tested as precatalysts in aryl amination reactions. The complex [(PCyp 2 Ar Xyl2 )PdCl 2 (morpholine)] shows the best catalytic activity allowing the room-temperature coupling of aryl bromides and chlorides with aniline.

A series of Au(I)/Pt(0) combinations that behave as bimetallic frustrated Lewis pairs activates dihydrogen in a cooperative manner. The steric bulk of the terphenyl phosphines that stabilize both fragments allows for the isolation of a rather unique and highly distorted cis -type dihydride platinum(II) structure.

Ni-catalyzed C-S cross-coupling reactions have received less attention compared with other C-heteroatom couplings. Most reported examples comprise the thioetherification of most reactive aryl iodides with aromatic thiols. The use of C-O electrophiles in this context is almost uncharted. Here, we describe that preformed Ni(II) precatalysts of the type NiCl(allyl)(PMe 2 Ar') (Ar'=terphenyl group) efficiently couple a wide range of (hetero)aryl halides, including challenging aryl chlorides, with a variety of aromatic and aliphatic thiols. Aryl and alkenyl tosylates are also well tolerated, demonstrating, for the first time, to be competent electrophilic partners in Ni-catalyzed C-S bond formation. The chemoselective functionalization of the C-I bond in the presence of a C-Cl bond allows for designing site-selective tandem C-S/C-N couplings. The formation of the two C-heteroatom bonds takes place in a single operation and represents a rare example of dual electrophile/nucleophile chemoselective process., (© 2021 The Authors. Chemistry - A European Journal published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Bulky terphenyl phosphane ligands PMe 2 Ar' (Ar' = terphenyl group) facilitate the isolation of zero-valent bis-phosphane complexes of nickel, palladium and platinum. The former show coordination numbers greater than two in the solid state due to the existence of Ni-C arene interactions with the terphenyl fragment.

Several dinuclear terphenyl phosphine copper(I) halide complexes of composition [CuX(PR 2 Ar')] 2 (X = Cl, Br, I; R = hydrocarbyl, Ar' = 2,6-diarylterphenyl radical), 1 - 5 , have been isolated from the reaction of CuX with 1 equiv of the phosphine ligand. Most of them have been characterized by X-ray diffraction studies in the solid state, thus allowing comparative discussions of different structural parameters, namely, Cu···Cu and Cu···Aryl separations, conformations adopted by coordinated phosphines, and planarity of the Cu 2 X 2 cores. Centrosymmetric complexes [CuI(PMe 2 Ar Xyl2 )] 2 , 1c , and [CuI(PEt 2 Ar Mes2 )] 2 , 3c , despite their similar structures, show very distinct photoluminescence (PL) in powder form at room temperature. The photophysical behavior of these compounds in liquid solution, solid-solid Zeonex solution and powder samples at room temperature and 77 K have been investigated and supported by DFT calculation. Identification of vibronic coupling modes, done by group theory calculations and the technique of projection operators, shows that the manifestation of these modes is conditioned by crystal packing. Complexes [CuI(PMe 2 Ar Xyl2 )] 2 , 1c , and [CuI(PEt 2 Ar Mes2 )] 2 , 3c , display remarkable activity in copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reactions involving preformed and in situ-made azides. Reactions are performed in H 2 O, under aerobic conditions, with low catalyst loadings and tolerate the use of iodoalkynes as substrates.

A series of 2-aminobiphenyl palladacycles supported by dialkylterphenyl phosphines, PR 2 Ar' (R=Me, Et, iPr, Cyp (cyclopentyl), Ar'=Ar Dipp2 , Ar Xyl2f , Dipp (2,6-C6H3-(2,6-C6H3-(CHMe2)2)2), Xyl=xylyl) have been prepared and structurally characterized. Neutral palladacycles were obtained with less bulky terphenyl phosphines (i.e., Me and Et substituents) whereas the largest phosphines provided cationic palladacycles in which the phosphines adopted a bidentate hemilabile k 1 -P,η 1 -C arene coordination mode. The influence of the ligand structure on the catalytic performance of these Pd precatalysts was evaluated in aryl amination reactions. Cationic complexes bearing the phosphines PiPr 2 Ar Xyl2 and PCyp 2 Ar Xyl2 were the most active of the series. These precatalysts have demonstrated a high versatility and efficiency in the coupling of a variety of nitrogen nucleophiles, including secondary amines, alkyl amines, anilines, and indoles, with electronically deactivated and ortho-substituted aryl chlorides at low catalyst loadings (0.25-0.75 mol % Pd) and without excess ligand., (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Aryl-Pd(ii) chlorides stabilized by dialkylterphenyl phosphine ligands undergo a thermal isomerization process, leading to the formation of allyl-Pd(ii)-chloride species. The transformation involves the intramolecular functionalization of a C-H bond of the terphenyl group mediated by the Pd(ii) center.

The experimental and computational characterization of a series of dialkylterphenyl phosphines, PR 2 Ar' is described. The new P-donors comprise five compounds of general formula PR 2 Ar Dtbp 2 (R=Me, Et, iPr, c-C 5 H 9 and c-C 6 H 11 ); Ar Dtbp 2 = 2,6-C 6 H 3 -(3,5-C 6 H 3 -(CMe 3 ) 2 ) 2 ), and another five PR 2 Ar' phosphines containing the bulky alkyl groups iPr, c-C 5 H 9 or c-C 6 H 11 , in combination with Ar'=Ar Xyl 2 , Ar Xyl ' 2 , or Ar Ph 2 (L1-L10). Steric and electronic parameters have been determined computationally and from IR and X-ray data obtained for the phosphines and for some derivatives, including tricarbonyl and dicarbonyl nickel complexes, Ni(CO) 3 (PR 2 Ar') and Ni(CO) 2 (PR 2 Ar'). In the solid state, the free phosphines PR 2 Ar' adopt one of the three possible structures formally related by rotation around the C ipso -P bond. Details on their relative energies and on the influence of the free phosphine structure on its coordination chemistry towards Ni(CO) n (n = 2, 3) fragments has been obtained by experimental and computational methods., (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Two families of nickel complexes bearing chelating diphenylphosphine-functionalized NHC ligands [Ni II (ArNHCPPh 2 )(allyl)]Cl 1a (Ar = Mes); 1b, (Ar = 2,6-iPr 2 -C 6 H 3 ) and [Ni 0 (ArNHCPPh 2 )(alkene)] 2a (Ar = 2,6-iPr 2 -C 6 H 3 , alkene = styrene); 2b (Ar = 2,6-iPr 2 -C 6 H 3 , alkene = diethyl fumarate) have been prepared and fully characterized. VT-NMR experiments in solution reveal that the allyl derivatives 1a-b are stereochemically nonrigid. The solid-state structure of the Ni 0 derivative 2b is also reported. These complexes display interesting catalytic properties in various cross-coupling reactions. The precatalyst [Ni 0 (ArNHCPPh 2 )(styrene)] 2a was found to be the most active system. The bulkiness of the N-substituent on the imidazole ring and the low oxidation state of the metal center in 2a accounted for its enhanced catalytic performance. This system catalyzed effectively the coupling of (hetero)aryl chlorides with a range of nucleophiles including Grignard reagents, boronic acids, secondary amines and indoles.

Nitrogen-containing organic compounds are valuable in many fields of science and industry. The most reliable method for the construction of C(sp(2) )-N bonds is undoubtedly palladium-catalyzed amination. In spite of the great achievements made in this area, the use of expensive Pd-based catalysts constitutes an important limitation for large-scale applications. Since nickel is the least expensive and most abundant among the group 10 metals, the interest in Ni-based catalysts for processes typically catalyzed by palladium has grown considerably over the last few years. Herein, we revise the development of Ni-catalyzed amination reactions, emphasizing the most relevant and recent advances in the field., (© 2016 The Chemical Society of Japan & Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The reactions of organic azides and alkynes catalysed by copper species represent the prototypical examples of click chemistry. The so-called CuAAC reaction (copper-catalysed azide-alkyne cycloaddition), discovered in 2002, has been expanded since then to become an excellent tool in organic synthesis. In this contribution the recent results described in the literature since 2010 are reviewed, classified according to the nature of the catalyst precursor: copper(I) or copper(II) salts or complexes, metallic or nano-particulated copper and several solid-supported copper systems.

Electron deficient azides are challenging substrates in CuAAC reactions. Particularly, when N-carbonyl azides are applied the formation of N-carbonyl triazoles has not yet been observed. We report herein the first example of this class of reaction, with a copper-based system that efficiently enables the synthesis of N-carbamoyl 1,2,3-triazoles by [3+2] cycloaddition of N-carbamoyl azides and alkynes.

Novel tris(pyrazolylmethyl)amine ligands Tpa(Me3), Tpa*(,Br), and Tpa(Br3) have been synthesized and structurally characterized. The coordination chemistries of these three new tetradentate tripodal ligands and the already known Tpa and Tpa* have been explored using different copper(I) salts as starting materials. Cationic copper(I) complexes [Tpa(x)Cu]PF6 (1-4) have been isolated from the reaction of [Cu(NCMe)4]PF6 and 1 equiv of the ligand. Complexes 2 (Tpa(x) = Tpa*) and 3 (Tpa(x) = Tpa(Me3)) have been characterized by X-ray studies. The former is a 1D helical coordination polymer, and the latter is a tetranuclear helicate. In both structures, the Tpa(x) ligand adopts a μ(2):κ(2):κ(1)-coordination mode. However, in solution, all of the four complexes form fluxional species. When CuI is used as the copper(I) source, neutral compounds 5-8 have been obtained. Complexes 6-8 exhibit a 1:1 metal-to-ligand ratio, whereas 5 presents 2:1 stoichiometry. Its solid-state structure has been determined by X-ray diffraction, revealing its 3D polymeric nature. The polymer is composed by the assembly of [Tpa2Cu4I4] units, in which Cu4I4 presents a step-stair structure. The Tpa ligands bridge the Cu4I4 clusters, adopting also a μ(2):κ(2):κ(1)-coordination mode. As observed for the cationic derivatives, the NMR spectra of 5-8 show the equivalence of the three pyrazolyl arms of the ligands in these complexes. The reactivities of cationic copper(I) derivatives 1-4 with PPh3 and CO have been explored. In all cases, 1:1 adducts [Tpa(x)CuL]PF6 [L = PPh3 (9-11), CO (12-15)] have been isolated. The crystal structure of [Tpa*Cu(PPh3)]PF6 (9) has been obtained, showing that the coordination geometry around copper(I) is trigonal-pyramidal with the apical position occupied by the tertiary amine N atom. The Tpa* ligand binds the Cu center to three of its four N atoms, with one pyrazolyl arm remaining uncoordinated. In solution, the carbonyl adducts 13-15 exist as a mixture of two isomers; the four- and five-coordinate species can be distinguished by means of their IR νCO stretching bands. Finally, the catalytic activities of complexes 1-4 have been demonstrated in carbene- and nitrene-transfer reactions.

Well-defined copper(I) complexes of composition [Tpm*(,Br) Cu(NCMe)]BF4 (Tpm*(,Br) =tris(3,5-dimethyl-4-bromo-pyrazolyl)methane) or [Tpa(*) Cu]PF6 (Tpa(*) =tris(3,5-dimethyl-pyrazolylmethyl)amine) catalyze the formation of 2,5-disubstituted oxazoles from carbonyl azides and terminal alkynes in a direct manner. This process represents a novel procedure for the synthesis of this valuable heterocycle from readily available starting materials, leading exclusively to the 2,5-isomer, attesting to a completely regioselective transformation. Experimental evidence and computational studies have allowed the proposal of a reaction mechanism based on the initial formation of a copper-acyl nitrene species, in contrast to the well-known mechanism for the copper-catalyzed alkyne and azide cycloaddition reactions (CuAAC) that is triggered by the formation of a copper-acetylide complex., (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The catalytic functionalization of silicon-hydrogen bonds by means of the insertion of carbene units :CHCO(2)Et from ethyl diazoacetate (EDA) has been achieved using a silver-based catalyst, constituting the first example of this metal to promote this transformation. Competition experiments have revealed that the relative reactivity of substituted silanes depends on the bond dissociation energy of the Si-H bond (tertiary > secondary > primary for ethyl substituted). In the presence of bulky substituents such order reverts to secondary > primary ≈ tertiary (for phenyl substituted). Screening with other diazo compounds has shown that N(2)C(Ph)CO(2)Et displays similar reactivity to that of EDA, whereas other N(2)C(R)CO(2)Et (R = Me, CO(2)Et) gave lower conversions.

The complex (IPr)Ni(allyl)Cl (IPr = 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazolidene) catalyzes the cross-coupling reactions of heteroaromatic chlorides with aryl Grignard reagents. Catalyst loadings as low as 0.1 mol % have been used to afford the products in excellent yields. This nickel-based catalytic system also promotes the activation of the C(Ar)-O bond of anisoles in the Kumada-Tamao-Corriu reaction under fairly mild conditions.

Three novel Cu(I) complexes bearing tris(pyrazolyl)methane ligands, Tpm(x), have been prepared from reactions of equimolar amounts of CuI and the ligands Tpm, (HC(pz)(3)), Tpm*, (HC(3,5-Me(2)-pz)(3)), and Tpm(Ms), (HC(3-Ms-pz)(3)). X-ray diffraction studies have shown that the Tpm and Tpm(Ms) derivatives exhibit a 2:1 Cu:ligand ratio, whereas the Tpm* complex is a mononuclear species in nature. The latter has been employed as a precatalyst in the arylation of amides and aromatic thiols with good activity. The synthesis of a Tpm*Cu(I)-phthalimidate, a feasible intermediate in this catalytic process, has also been performed. Low temperature (1)H NMR studies in CDCl(3) have indicated that this complex exists in solution as a mixture of two, neutral and ionic forms. Conductivity measurements have reinforced this proposal, the ionic form predominating in a very polar solvent such as DMSO. The reaction of Tpm*Cu(I)-phthalimidate with iodobenzene afforded the expected C-N coupling product in 76% yield accounting for its role as an intermediate in this transformation.

The reaction of 1-alkynes with acyl azides in the presence of [Tpm(*,Br)Cu(NCMe)]BF(4) [Tpm(*,Br) = tris(3,5-dimethyl-4-bromopyrazolyl)methane] as the catalyst provides 2,5-oxazoles in moderate to high yields. This is a novel transformation of the CuAAC type that constitutes a significant variation of the commonly observed [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction to yield 1,2,3-triazoles.

The well-defined complex [Tpm(*,Br)Cu(NCMe)]BF(4) efficiently catalyses the [3+2] cycloaddition between alkynes and N-sulfonylazides under mild conditions, with conversions comparable to others obtained with in situ generated catalytic systems previously described for this transformation.

The complex [Tpm(*,Br)Cu(NCMe)]BF4 (Tpm(*,Br) = HC(3,5-Me2-4-Br-pyrazolyl)3) catalyses the aziridination of alkenes and the amidation of cyclic ethers with chloramine-T as the nitrene source and the ionic liquid [bmim]PF6 as the reaction medium (bmim = 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium). High conversions have been obtained over several cycles of catalyst recovery and reuse.

Thermal reactions between [RuCl2(diene)]n (diene = 2,5-norbornadiene, nbd; 1,5-cyclooctadiene, cod) with an excess of N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylene diamine (tmeda) afforded derivatives [RuCl2(diene)(tmeda)] (diene = nbd, 1; cod, 2) as a mixture of cis and trans isomers. When thermolysis was performed under H2 mixtures of hydride species [RuCl(H)(diene)(tmeda)] (diene = nbd, 3; cod, 4) and the bis-tmeda adduct trans-[RuCl2(tmeda)2] (5) were obtained in different ratios depending upon the reaction conditions and reaction times. Heating polymeric Ru(II) precursors in toluene in the presence of a 5-fold excess of the bulkier N,N,N',N'-tetraethylethylene diamine (teeda) resulted in a rare diamine dealkylation process with formation of trans-[RuCl2(nbd)(Et2NCH2CH2NHEt)] (6) and trans-[RuCl2(cod)(EtHNCH2CH2NHEt)] (7) in high yields. The presence of N-H functionalities in the coordinated diamine ligands of 6 and 7 was unambiguously established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The dealkylation process of the teeda ligand seems to proceed intramolecularly as shown by solution NMR studies performed with the soluble Ru(II) precursors trans-[RuCl2(amine)2(diene)] (diene = nbd, amine = morpholine, 9; diene = cod, amine = Et2NH, 10). The above complexes [RuCl2(diene)(diamine)] have been tested as precatalysts in the hydrogenation of ketones both for transfer as well as direct hydrogenation, the latter route being the most effective.

This contribution intends to highlight the use of the metal-catalyzed functionalization of unreactive carbon-hydrogen bonds by the carbene insertion methodology, that employs diazo compounds as the carbene source.

[reaction: see text] The complex {[HC(3,5-Me(2)pz)(3)]Cu(NCMe)}BF(4) catalyzes the transfer of the :CHCO(2)Et unit from ethyl diazoacetate to several saturated and unsaturated substrates with very high yields and under biphasic conditions using the ionic liquid [bmim][PF(6)] and hexane as the reaction medium. The catalyst has been tested for several cycles of recovery and reuse without any loss of activity.

The complex IPrCuCl (1) catalyzes the transfer of the :CHCO2Et group from ethyl diazoacetate (EDA) to unsaturated and saturated substrates (olefins, amine, alcohols) with very high yields. In the absence of substrate, the complex 1 does not react with EDA to give the diazo coupling products (fumarate and maleate), a rare example in the field of metal-catalyzed diazocompounds decomposition.

The complex TpBr3Cu(NCMe) catalyzes, at room temperature, the insertion of a nitrene group from PhINTs into the carbon-hydrogen bond of cyclohexane and benzene, as well as into the primary C-H bonds of the methyl groups of toluene and mesitylene, in moderate to high yield.

The complex Tp(Br3)Cu(NCMe) (1) is an excellent catalyst for the regioselective carbene transfer reaction to tertiary C-H bonds of hydrocarbons, at room temperature, using the readily available ethyl diazoacetate (EDA) as the carbene source.

The complexes TpxCu (Tpx = homoscorpionate) catalyse the insertion of diazo compounds into nitrogen-hydrogen bonds of amines and amides, under very mild conditions, with quantitative yields being obtained with equimolar ratios of reactants.

N,N, N',N'-Tetraethylethylenediamine undergoes simple or double intramolecular dealkylation reactions in the presence of the complexes [RuCl2(diene)]n (diene = cod, nbd) or trans-[RuCl2(diene)(morfoline)2 at 80 degrees C to afford chelating amine ligands which contains one or two N-H functionalities.

A series of catalysts of general formula TpXCu (TpX = homoscorpionate ligand) promote the insertion of :CHCO2Et (ethyl diazoacetate as the carbene source) into the C-H bonds of cycloalkanes and cyclic ethers in moderate to high yield. A correlation between the steric hindrance of these catalysts and the yield of the transformation has been observed.

In situ prepared copper catalysts Tp(X)Cu (Tp(X) = homoscorpionate) catalyze the olefin cyclopropanation reaction using ethyl diazoacetate as the carbene source. Very high values of both activity and diastereoselectivity toward the cis isomer have been obtained for styrene, alpha-methylstyrene, 1-hexene, 1-octene, vinyl acetate, n-butyl vinyl ether, 2,5-dimethyl-2,4-hexadiene, and 3,3-dimethyl-1-butene. The effect of the temperature in the diastereoselectivity was almost negligible within the range -10 to +30 degrees C. Kinetic studies have allowed us to propose that the homoscorpionate ligand might act in a dihapto form during the catalytic process. This transformation seems to operate under kinetic control, where the formation of the cis isomer would govern the reaction rate.

Equimolar mixtures of ethyl diazoacetate and alkynes can be converted into cyclopropenes in very high yields, at room temperature, through the intermediacy of readily available Cu(I) catalysts containing trispyrazolylborate ligands.

The bis(ethylene) Rh species TpMe2Rh(C2H4)2(1*) (TpMe2 = tris(3,5-dimethyl-1-pyrazol-1-yl)hydroborate) has been obtained from [RhCl(C2H4)2]2 and KTpMe2. Complex 1* easily decomposes in solution to give mainly the butadiene species TpMe2Rh(eta74-C4H6). In the solid state its thermal decomposition follows a different course and the allyl TpMe2RhH(syn-C3H4Me) is cleanly obtained as a mixture of exo and endo isomers. The complexes Tp'Rh(C2H4)2 (Tp' = Tp, TpMe2) afford the monosubstituted species Tp'Rh(C2H4)(PR3) upon reaction with PR3 but react differently with L = CO or CNR: the Tp compound gives dinuclear [TpRh]2(mu-L)3 complexes, while, in the case of 1*, TpMe2Rh(C2H4)(L) species are obtained. The ethylene ligand of complexes TpMe2Rh(C2H4)(PR3) is labile, and several peroxo compounds of composition TpMe2Rh(O2)(PR3) have been isolated by their reaction with O2. All the mononuclear Rh(I) complexes are formulated as 18e- trigonal bipyramidal species on the basis of IR and NMR spectroscopic studies. A series of dihydride complexes of Rh(III) of formulation Tp'RhH2(PR3) have been prepared by the hydrogenation of the corresponding ethylene derivatives. Complexes [TpRh]2(mu-CNCy)3, TpMe2Rh(C2H4)(PEt3), and TpMe2Rh(O2)(PEt3) have been further characterized by X-ray diffraction studies.

The substitution of one of the ethylene ligands of the complexes Tp'Ir(C(2)H(4))(2) (Tp' = Tp(Me)()2, 1; Tp' = Tp, 1) by soft donors such as tertiary phosphines or carbon monoxide is a facile reaction that gives the corresponding Tp'Ir(C(2)H(4))(L) adducts. Spectroscopic studies support their formulation as five-coordinate, 18-electron species that possess a distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometry. This proposal has been confirmed by a single-crystal X-ray study carried out with the PMe(2)Ph complex Tp(Me)()2Ir(C(2)H(4))(PMe(2)Ph) (3b). Related hydride derivatives of Ir(III) can be obtained either by hydrogenation of the Ir(I) adducts (in general, this gives Tp'IrH(2)(L) compounds) or by thermal activation of one of the C-H bonds of the coordinated C(2)H(4) ligand of the Tp(Me)()2Ir(C(2)H(4))(L) compounds. All these reactions can be understood by invoking the participation of transient, 16-electron (eta(2)-Tp')Ir intermediates, but the thermodynamics of the [Ir](C(2)H(4)) to [Ir]H(CH=CH(2)) conversion does not require an overall change in the coordination mode of the Tp' ligand.