title: Alkyl dehydrogenation in a Rh(I) complex via an isolated agostic intermediate.
abstract: A well-characterised 14-electron rhodium phosphine complex, [Rh(PiPr3)3][BArF4], which contains a beta-CH agostic interaction, is observed to undergo spontaneous dehydrogenation to afford [Rh(PiPr3)2(PiPr2(C3H5))][BArF4]; calculations on a model system show that while C-H activation is equally accessible from the beta-CH agostic species or an alternative gamma-CH agostic isomer, subsequent beta-H-transfer can only be achieved along pathways originating from the beta-CH agostic form.
authors.affiliation: Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Oxford, UK OX1 3QR.
authors.forename: Adrian B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Chaplin
authors.forename: Amalia I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Poblador-Bahamonde
authors.forename: Hazel A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Sparkes
authors.forename: Judith A K
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: Stuart A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Macgregor
authors.forename: Andrew S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Weller