Source of materialTo an acetone (2 mL) solution of [Rh(h 4 -1,5-cyclooctadiene)Cl] 2 (20 mg, 0.0405 mmol), N-benzoyl-N'-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-thiourea [9] (20.8 mg, 0.0811 mmol) was added. The reaction mixture was vigorously stirred until all of the reagents were fully dissolved. The acetone was then allowed to evaporate slowly to obtain the product as an orange crystalline solid.
DiscussionIn the title compound, the thiourea ligand shows monodentate coordination through its sulfur-atom, analogous with a structure earlier reported by us. All metal-ligand bond lengths are within expected ranges [1]. However, depending on the substituents of the ligand, we have also observed bidentate coordination [2]. This shows the versatility of this ligand class, and conversely the need for careful elucidation of the reaction products. We initially chose this ligand type in our research towards bidentate systems [3-5], but we were amazed about its rich coordination chemistry, that depends heavily on the reaction conditions and transition metal precursor [6]. Also, the use of the 1,5-cyclooctadiene ligand gives important information on the influence of the other ligands [7,8]. In the title structure, the rhodium adopts a slightly distorted square planar geometry. The structure is intramolecularly stabilized by hydrogen bonds, of which that between N1 and Cl1 stabilizes the coordination sphere (2.38(3) Å), and the one between N2 and O1 (2.06(3) Å) stabilizes the overall ligand conformation. Additionally, there is an intermolecular hydrogen bond interaction between the amide moieties (N2···O1' = 2.50(3) Å; ' = y-x, y-y, -z), creating dimeric structures.