Synthesis, crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of [bis(diphenylphosphanyl)methane-κP]chloridobis[2-(pyridin-2-yl)phenyl-κ²N,C¹]iridium(III)

Abstract

The title IrIII complex, [Ir(C11H8N)2Cl(C25H22P2)], was synthesized from the substitution reaction between the (ppy)2Ir(μ-Cl)2Ir(ppy)2 (ppy = deprotonated 2-phenylpyridine, C11H8N−) dimer and 1,1-bis(diphenylphosphanyl)methane (dppm, C25H22P2) under an argon gas atmosphere for 20 h. The IrIII atom is coordinated by two C,N-bidentate ppy anions, a unidentate dppm ligand and a chloride anion in a distorted octahedral IrC2N2PCl arrangement. The N donor atoms of the ppy ligands are mutually trans while the C atoms are cis. Intramolecular aromatic π–π stacking between the phenyl rings of ppy and dppm, and C—H...Cl interactions are observed. In the crystal, C—H...Cl and C—H...π contacts link the molecules into a three-dimensional network. A Hirshfeld surface analysis was carried out to further quantify the intermolecular interactions, and indicated that H...H contacts (63.9%) dominate the packing.