Synthesis, characterization, and X-ray structures of Rh(I) monocarbonyl complexes containing unsymmetric tridentate pyrazolylgallate ligands
The reaction of the [Rh(CO)2Cl]2 dimer with the Na+[Me2Ga(N2C3H3)(OCH2(C5H4N))]− ligand has yielded the planar four-coordinate species [Me2Ga(N2C3H3)(OCH2(C5H4N))]Rh(CO), (LRh(CO)), displaying the tridentate gallate ligand in a meridional coordination mode. In addition, a second product, of similar geometry but with one of the Me groups on the Ga replaced by a Cl atom, viz, [(Cl)MeGa(N2C3H3)(OCH2(C5H4N))]Rh(CO), has also been isolated and characterized. The former complex undergoes a facile oxidative addition reaction with MeI, the transient six-coordinate Rh(III) species produced being rapidly converted, in a methyl migration step, to the five-coordinate Rh(III) acetyl complex, LRh(COMe)I. Crystals of [Me2Ga(N2C3H3)(OCH2(C5H4N))]Rh(CO) are monoclinic, a = 13.139(2), b = 13.324(2), c = 17.352(2) Å, β = 103.251(7)°, Z = 8, space group I2/a, and those of [(Cl)MeGa(N2C3H3)(OCH2(C5H4N))]Rh(CO) are triclinic, a = 8.846(2), b = 12.714(3), c = 7.631(2) Å, α = 93.82(1), β = 113.94(1), γ = 107.99(1)°, Z = 2, space group [Formula: see text] Both structures were solved by conventional heavy-atom methods and were refined by full-matrix least-squares procedures to final R values of 0.029 and 0.048 for 1890 and 1939 reflections with I ≥ 3σ(I), respectively. Both molecules display irregular square planar coordination geometry about Rh with Rh—O = 2.038(3) and 2.048(3), Rh—N(pyrazolyl) = 2.022(4) and 2.025(7), Rh—N(pyridyl) = 2.038(3) and 2.020(6), Rh—CO = 1.778(5) and 1.808(9) Å, respectively, for the two compounds. Molecules of [Me2Ga(N2C3H3)(OCH2(C5H4N))]Rh(CO) form weakly associated, centrosymmetric dimers via an intermolecular [Formula: see text] interaction of 3.5445(7) Å.