Photo-activation of methane at 12 K by (η⁵-cyclopentadienyl)- and (η⁵-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)-dicarbonyl-rhodium and -iridium complexes

Abstract

I. r. spectroscopic evidence, including 2H labeling, is presented to show that photolysis of [(η6C6R6)M(CO)2] complexes (M = Rh, R = Me; M = Ir, R = H, Me) in CH4 matrices at 12 K leads primarily to [(η6-C6R6)M(CO)(H)(Me)] species whereas in Ar and N2 matrices only small yields of [(η5-C5R5)M(CO)] species are observed.