Preparation of Benzyl Azide Complexes of Iridium(III)

Abstract

Hydride complexes IrHCl(2)(PiPr(3))P(2) (1) and IrHCl(2)P(3) (2) [P = P(OEt)(3) and PPh(OEt)(2)] were prepared by allowing IrHCl(2)(PiPr(3))(2) to react with phosphite in refluxing benzene or toluene. Treatment of IrHCl(2)P(3), first with HBF(4).Et(2)O and then with an excess of ArCH(2)N(3), afforded benzyl azide complexes [IrCl(2)(eta(1)-N(3)CH(2)Ar)P(3)]BPh(4) (3, 4) [Ar = C(6)H(5), 4-CH(3)C(6)H(4); P = P(OEt)(3), PPh(OEt)(2)]. Azide complexes reacted in CH(2)Cl(2) solution, leading to the imine derivative [IrCl(2){eta(1)-NH=C(H)C(6)H(5)}P(3)]BPh(4) (5). The complexes were characterized by spectroscopy and X-ray crystal structure determination of [IrCl(2)(eta(1)-N(3)CH(2)C(6)H(5)){P(OEt)(3)}(3)]BPh(4) (3a) and [IrCl(2){eta(1)-NH=C(H)C(6)H(5)}{P(OEt)(3)}(3)]BPh(4) (5a). Both solid-state structure and (15)N NMR data indicate that the azide is coordinated through the substituted Ngamma [Ir]-Ngamma(CH(2)Ar)NNalpha nitrogen atom.