derived from L b 7 shows negligible hydroformylation activity but rapid octene isomerization activity. The overall conclusion is that, with the rhodium complexes of the simple phosphacycles described here, no special effect of the rings was observed in the hydroformylation catalysis. An R-substituent effect is identified as a common feature in several high-activity hydroformylation catalysts derived from phosphinanes.

The homologous series of diphosphines (CH(2))(n-1)P(CH(2))(3)P(CH(2))(n-1) where n = 5 (L(5)), 6 (L(6)), or 7 (L(7)) have been synthesized from the corresponding PhP(CH(2))(n-1). Treatment of [PtCl(2)(cod)] with L(5-7) gave the 6-membered chelates cis-[PtCl(2)(L(5-7))], the crystal structures for which reveal that L(5-7) have very similar steric bulk and bite angles. Treatment of [Rh(2)Cl(2)(CO)(4)] with L(5-7) gave the binuclear trans-[Rh(2)Cl(2)(CO)(2)(micro-L(5-7))(2)] with syn and anti orientations of the CO and Cl ligands suggested by the (31)P NMR spectra and the crystal structures of syn-trans-[Rh(2)Cl(2)(CO)(2)(micro-L(5))(2)] and anti-trans-[Rh(2)Cl(2)(CO)(2)(micro-L(7))(2)]. The nu(CO) values for trans-[Rh(2)Cl(2)(CO)(2)(micro-L(5-7))(2)] indicate that the donor strength increases in the order L(5) < L(6) < L(7). A study of rhodium-catalysed hydroformylation of 1-octene using diphosphines L(5-7) is described. The catalyst activity decreases with increasing phosphacycle ring size: L(5) > L(6) > L(7).

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