[(1,2,5,6-η)-Cycloocta-1,5-diene](1-ethyl-4-isobutyl-1,2,4-triazol-5-ylidene)(triphenylphosphane)iridium(I) tetrafluoridoborate dichloromethane hemisolvate

A new triazole-based N -heterocyclic carbene Ir I cationic complex with a tetrafluoridoborate counter-anion and hemi-solvating dichloromethane, [Ir(C 8 H 12 )(C 8 H 15 N 3 )(C 18 H 15 P)]BF 4 ·0.5CH 2 Cl 2 , has been synthesized and structurally characterized. There are two independent ion pairs in the asymmetric unit and one dichloromethane solvent molecule per two ion pairs. The cationic complex exhibits a distorted square-planar conformation around the Ir I atom, formed by a bidentate cycloocta-1,5,diene (COD) ligand, a triphenylphosphane ligand, and an N -heterocyclic carbene (NHC). There are several close non-standard H...F hydrogen-bonding interactions that orient the tetrafluoridoborate anions with respect to the Ir I complex molecules. The complex shows promising catalytic activity in transfer hydrogenation reactions. The structure was refined as a non-merohedral twin, and one of the COD molecules is statistically disordered.