Nitrile coordination to rhodium does not lead to C—H activation

Abstract

Tris(pyrazolyl)borate complexes of rhodium are well known to activate C—H bonds. The reactive [Tp′Rh(PMe3)] fragment [Tp′ is tris(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)hydroborate] is found to react with valeronitrile to give the κ1N-bound complex (pentanenitrile-κN)(trimethylphosphane-κP)[tris(3,5-dimethylimidazol-1-yl)hydroborato-κ2N2,N2′]rhodium(I), [Rh(C15H22BN6)(C5H9N)(C3H9P)]. In contrast to the widespread evidence for the reaction of this fragment with C—H bondsviaoxidative addition, no evidence for such a complex is observed.