Rhodium(I) acetylacetonato complexes containing phosphinoalkynes as catalysts for the hydroboration of vinylarenes

Abstract

Three novel rhodium(I) acetylacetonato (acac) complexes bearing phosphinoalkynes (Ph2PC≡C-t-Bu, Ph2PC≡CPPh2, and Ph2PC≡CC≡CPPh2) have been prepared and characterized fully. Addition of B2cat3 (cat = 1,2-O2C6H4) to Rh(acac)(Ph2PC≡C-t-Bu)2 (1a) led to zwitterionic Rh(η6-catBcat)(Ph2PC≡C-t-Bu)2 (2a), the first example of this type of compound to contain monodentate phosphine ligands. All new rhodium complexes have been investigated for their ability to catalyse the hydroboration of vinylarenes.Key words: catalysis, hydroboration, phosphinoalkynes, regioselectivity, rhodium.