Interaction of tris(triphenylphosphine)chlororhodium(I) with iodomethane, methylallyl, and allyl chloride

Abstract

The reaction of tris(triphenylphosphine)chlororhodium(I) with iodomethane is shown to give an octahedral complex of rhodium(III), [RhlCl(CH3)(PPh3)2(ICH3)], which contains not only a Rh–CH3 group, but also unusually, a firmly co-ordinated iodomethane molecule.From the interaction of RhCl(PPh3)3 with allyl and 2-methylallyl chloride, the first simple allylic derivatives of rhodium are obtained. These compounds fall into three classes. The allylic group is σ-bonded in one class, π-bonded in the second, and σ+π-bonded in the third.The complexes are characterised, inter alia, by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.