Nitrile coordination to rhodium does not lead to C-H activation.
Tris(pyrazolyl)borate complexes of rhodium are well known to activate C-H bonds. The reactive [Tp'Rh(PMe3)] fragment [Tp' is tris(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)hydroborate] is found to react with valeronitrile to give the κ1N-bound complex (pentanenitrile-κN)(trimethylphosphane-κP)[tris(3,5-dimethylimidazol-1-yl)hydroborato-κ2N2,N2']rhodium(I), [Rh(C15H22BN6)(C5H9N)(C3H9P)]. In contrast to the widespread evidence for the reaction of this fragment with C-H bonds via oxidative addition, no evidence for such a complex is observed.
Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA.
Yunzhe
Y
Jiao
Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA.
William W
WW
Brennessel
Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA.
William D
WD
Jones
C—H activation; crystal structure; nitrile; rhodium; scorpionate; tris(pyrazolyl)borate