title: The scope of ambiphilic acetate-assisted cyclometallation with half-sandwich complexes of iridium, rhodium and ruthenium.
abstract: C−−H activation by acetate-assisted cyclometallation of a phenyl group with half-sandwich complexes [{MCl(2)Cp*}(2)] (M=Ir, Rh) and [{RuCl(2)-(p-cymene)}(2)] can be directed by a wide range of nitrogen donor ligands including pyrazole, oxazoline, oxime, imidazole and triazole, and X-ray structures of a number of complexes are reported. All the ligands tested cyclometallated at iridium, however ruthenium and rhodium fail to cause cyclometallation in some cases. As a result, the nitrogen donors have been categorised based on their reactivity with the three metals used. The relevance of these cyclometallation reactions to catalytic synthesis of carbocycles and heterocycles is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK.
authors.forename: Youcef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Boutadla
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Rachel C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Kuldip
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Singh