Reactions of chloroform and gem-dichlorocarbons with binuclear rhodium complexes leading to functionalized methylene-bridged compounds

Chloroform and gem-dichlorocarbons CHCl2R (R = H, Ph or CO2Me) react rapidly with the binuclear basic metal complex [{Rh(µ-pz)(CNBut)2}2](pz = pyrazolate) under a three-fragment four-electron scheme to give mainly the compounds [{Rh(µ-pz)Cl(CNBut)2}2(µ-CHR)](R = Cl, H, CO2Me or Ph) and [{Rh(µ-pz)Cl(CNBut)2}2] as a side-product.