Facile synthesis of rhodium and iridium complexes bearing a [PEP]-type ligand (E = Ge or Sn) via E–C bond cleavage

Rhodium and iridium complexes bearing a tridentate [PEP] type ligand ([PEP] = {o-(Ph(2)P)C(6)H(4)}(2)E(Me); E = Ge or Sn) were synthesized through the phosphine exchange reaction accompanied by selective E-C bond cleavage. The ligand precursors {o-(Ph(2)P)C(6)H(4)}(2)EMe(2) (E = Ge or Sn) were readily obtained in excellent yields by treating {o-(Ph(2)P)C(6)H(4)}(2)Li with 0.5 equivalents of Me(2)ECl(2). Tris(triphenylphosphine)rhodium(I) carbonyl hydride M(H)(CO)(PPh(3))(3) (M = Rh, Ir) cleaved one of the E-Me bonds of {o-(Ph(2)P)C(6)H(4)}(2)EMe(2) exclusively to afford the trigonal bipyramidal (TBP) complexes, [PEP]M(CO)(PPh(3)). Square-planar rhodium complexes [PEP]Rh(PPh(3)) were also prepared from the reactions of tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)rhodium(I) hydride Rh(H)(PPh(3))(4) with {o-(Ph(2)P)C(6)H(4)}(2)EMe(2). Further, the trans influence of group 14 elements E (E = Si, Ge, Sn) in [PEP]Rh(PPh(3)) is discussed in terms of the (1)J(Rh-P) coupling constants, indicating that E exhibited a stronger trans labilizing effect in the order Sn < Ge < Si.