Reactions of phenylallene and of (4-fluorophenyl)allene with
[Rh(μ-Cl)(PMe3)2]2
(Rh:arylallene = 1:1) give Rh(I) complexes with π-coordinated
arylallene,
RhCl(η2-CH2CCHAr)(PMe3)2 (1a, Ar =
C6H5; 1b, Ar =
C6H4F-p). X-ray crystallography
of 1a,b has established
their square-planar coordination around the rhodium center, which is
bonded to the 2,3-double bond of the arylallene. The aryl group of the ligand and the
Rh center are situated
on the same side of the uncoordinated 1,2-double bond. The
position of an ortho hydrogen
of the phenyl group in the ligand suggests an agostic interaction
between the C−H group
and the Rh center. Dissolution of 1a in benzene results
in equilibration with its isomer 3a,
which does not have a close contact between the ortho C−H
group of the ligand and the Rh
center. The 1H NMR spectra of an equilibrated mixture
in the temperature range 30−55
°C afford thermodynamic parameters for 3a↔1a
of ΔH° = −5.0 kJ mol-1 and
ΔS° = −8 J
mol-1 K-1. The
arylallenes react also with RhCl(PMe3)3 in
a 1.2:1 molar ratio to yield
pentacoordinated Rh(I)−arylallene complexes,
RhCl(η2-CH2CCHAr)(PMe3)3
(2a, Ar =
C6H5; 2b, Ar =
C6H4F-p). A crystallographic
study of 2b shows a distorted trigonal-bipyramidal coordination around the Rh center, which is bonded to
equatorial Cl, PMe3,
and 2,3-η2-CH2CCHAr ligands and to two
apical PMe3 ligands. The 4-fluorophenyl
group
of the ligand and the Rh center are situated on opposite sides of the
uncoordinated CC
double bond. Complex 2a is in equilibrium with its
isomer 4a, which shows dynamic NMR
behavior on the NMR time scale. Reactions in a 3:1 molar ratio
give rhodacyclopentanes,
Ar = C6H5; 5b, Ar
= C6H4F-p) as the
main product. Complex 5a is also obtained from reaction
of phenylallene with 2a. Reactions
of (4-fluorophenyl)allene with
RhCl(PEt3)3,
RhCl{P(i-Pr)3}2, and
RhCl(PPh3)3 proceed
smoothly to give the corresponding
Rh(I)−(4-fluorophenyl)allene complexes,
RhCl(η2-CH2CCHC6H4F-p)(PR3)2
(6, R = Et; 7, R = i-Pr;
8, R = Ph). The 1H NMR spectra of
the
complexes and X-ray crystallography of 8 indicate
square-planar coordination around the
Rh center, which is bonded to the 2,3-double bond of the arylallene.