Synthesis and reactivity of mononuclear anionic pentafluorophenyl compounds of rhodium(I) and iridium(I). X-ray structure of [(P(OPh)3)(sub 2)(C6F5)(sub 2)RhAg(PPh3)]

Several rhodium and iridium substrates undergo arylation with (Ag(C6F5)) or (NBu4)(Ag(C6F5)(sub 2)) to form new anionic complexes which have been isolated as benzyltriphenylphosphonium or tetrabutylammonium salts. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction study shows that the crystals are triclinic having a unit cell of dimension. The rhodium atom is in a square-pyramidal environment, with two C6F5 (cis) and two P(OPh)3 ligands in the square plane and a Ag(PPh3) moiety in the apical position. Furthermore, the complex contains a Rh-Ag bond unsupported by covalent bridges.