Synthesis and reactivity of five- and six-coordinate hydrido(vinyl) iridium(III) complexes

The reaction of the dihydrido iridium(III) precursor [IrH₂(Cl)(PiPr₃)₂] (5) with internal alkynes RCC(CO₂Me) (R = Me, CO₂Me) afforded the five-coordinate hydrido(vinyl) complexes [IrH(Cl){(E)-C(R)CH(CO₂Me)}(PiPr₃)₂] (6, 7), via insertion of the alkyne into one of the IrH bonds. Compounds 6 and 7 are also accessible by careful hydrogenation of the alkyne iridium(I) derivatives trans-[IrCl{RCC(CO₂Me)}(PiPr₃)₂] (9, 10), the latter being prepared from in situ generated trans-[IrCl(C₈H₁₄)(PiPr₃)₂] and RCC(CO₂Me). UV irradiation of 6 (R = CO₂Me) led to the formation of the isomer [IrH(Cl){κ²(C,O)-C(CO₂Me)CHC(OMe)O}(PiPr₃)₂] (3) having the vinyl ligand coordinated in a bidentate fashion. While 6 reacted with acetonitrile and CO to afford the six-coordinate iridium(III) compounds [IrH(Cl){(E)-C(CO₂Me)CH(CO₂Me)}(L′)(PiPr₃)₂] (11, 12), treatment of 6 with LiC₅H₅ gave the half-sandwich-type complex [(η⁵-C₅H₅)IrH{(E)-C(CO₂Me)CH(CO₂Me)}(PiPr₃)] (13) by, the loss of one PiPr₃. The reaction of 3 with CO under pressure resulted in the formation of [IrH(Cl){(Z)-C(CO₂Me)CH(CO₂Me)}(CO)(PiPr₃)₂] (14) in which, in contrast to the stereoisomer 12, the two CO₂Me substituents are trans disposed.