title: Carbon-carbon bond activation of R-CN (R = Me, Ar, iPr, tBu) using a cationic Rh(III) complex.
abstract: Addition of 1.0 equiv of Ph3SiH to [Cp*(PMe3)Rh(Me)(CH2Cl2)]+BAr'4- (1) resulted in release of methane and quantitative formation of [Cp*(PMe3)Rh(SiPh3)(CH2Cl2)]+BAr'4- (2). Subsequent addition of 1.0 equiv of MeCN to 2 caused immediate displacement of dichloromethane to form the eta1-nitrile adduct [Cp*(PMe3)Rh(SiPh3)(NCMe)]+BAr'4- (3). Upon standing at room-temperature overnight, complex 3 converted quantitatively to another product which has been characterized as the C-C activation product, [Cp*(PMe3)Rh(Me)(CNSiPh3)]+BAr'4- (5). Addition of other nitrile substrates (R-CN, R = Ph, (4-CF3)Ph, (4-MeO)Ph, iPr, tBu) to 2 also resulted in C-C activation of the R-CN bond to form [Cp*(PMe3)Rh(R)(CNSiPh3)]+BAr'4-. Evidence for an eta2-iminoacyl intermediate complex, [Cp*(PMe3)Rh(eta2-C(R)=N(SiPh3)]+BAr'4-, is also presented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, USA.
authors.forename: Felicia L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Taw
authors.forename: Peter S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Bergman
authors.forename: Maurice
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brookhart