The ruthenium and iridium coordination chemistry of the tripodal ligand CH3C{CH2P(m-CF3-C6H4)2}3

The ruthenium(II) complexes [Ru(CF3CO2)(2)(CF(3)triphos)], [Ru-2(mu-Cl)(3)(CF(3)triphos)(2)]Cl, [RuH(CH3CN)(2)(CF(3)triphos)](CF3SO3) and [Ru(CH3CN)(3)(CF(3)triphos)](CF3SO3)(2) (CF(3)triphos = CH3C{CH2P(m-CF3C6H4)(2)}(3)) were prepared and characterized. The iridium complexes [Ir(COD)(CF(3)triphos)](+), [IrCl(CO)(CF(3)triphos)], [Ir(CO)(2)(CF(3)triphos)](+), [IrCl3(CF(3)triphos)] and [IrCl3-n(MeCN)(n)(CF(3)triphos)](CF3SO3)(n) (n = 1, 2 and 3) were also prepared and characterized. The coordination chemistries of these two elements with CF(3)triphos and with the unsubstituted ligand CH3C{CH2P(C6H5)(2)}(3) (Htriphos) are compared. It is shown that, relative to Htriphos, CF(3)triphos (a) stabilizes the iridium(I) relative to the iridium(III) oxidation state and (b) its cationic complexes are stronger Lewis acids. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.