New Water-Soluble Alkyl-Carbonyl Iridium Complexes Containing Both Cp* (C₅Me₅⁻) and PAr₃(P(m-C₆H₄SO₃Na)₃):  Cleavage of C⋮C and CC Bonds with Water

Reactions of water-soluble Cp*IrCl 2 (PAr 3 ) ( 1 ) with alkynes HC⋮CR in H 2 O/C 6 H 6 give new water-soluble alkyl-carbonyl complexes, [Cp*Ir(−CH 2 R)(CO)(PAr 3 )] + ( 2, R = Ph ( a ), CH 2 Ph ( b ), C(CH 3 ) 3 ( c ), p -C 6 H 4 CH 3 ( d )) by cleaving the C⋮C bond of the alkynes. The C C bond of ethylene is also cleaved in the reaction of complex 1 with ethylene in the presence of Ag + in water to give [Cp*Ir(−CH 3 )(CO)(PAr 3 )] + ( 3 ).