The reactions of Ir(CO)Cl(PPh3)2 with HSnPh3

A reinvestigation of the reaction of Ir(CO)Cl(PPh3)(2), 1 with HSnPh3 has revealed that the oxidative-addition product Ir(CO)Cl(PPh3)(2)(H)(SnPh3), 2 has the H and SnPh3 ligands in cis-related coordination sites. Compound 2 reacts with a second equivalent of HSnPh3 by a Cl for H ligand exchange to yield the new compound H2Ir(CO)(SnPh3)(PPh3)(2), 3. Compound 3 contains two cis- related hydride ligands. Under an atmosphere of CO, 1 reacts with HSnPh3 to replace the Cl ligand with SnPh3 and one of the PPh3 ligands with a CO ligand and also adds a second equivalent of CO to yield the 5-coordinate complex Ir(CO)(3)(SnPh3)(PPh3), 4. Compound 4 reacts with HSnPh3 by loss of CO and oxidative addition of the Sn-H bond to yield the 6-coordinate complex HIr(CO)(2)(SnPh3)(2)(PPh3), 5 that contains two trans-positioned SnPh3 ligands. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.