Preparation and reactivity of macrocyclic rhodium(III) alkyl complexes

Macrocyclic rhodium(II) complexes LRh(H2O)(2+) (L = L-1 = cyclam and L-2 = meso-Me-6-cyclam) react with alkyl hydroperoxides RC(CH3)(2)OOH to generate the corresponding rhodium(III) alkyls L(H2O)RhR2+ (R = CH3, C2H5, PhCH2). Methyl and benzyl complexes can also be prepared by bimolecular group transfer from alkyl cobaloximes (dmgH)(2)(H2O) CoR and (dmgBF(2))(2)(H2O) CoR (R = CH3, PhCH2) to LRh(H2O)(2+). The new complexes were characterized by solution NMR and by crystal structure analysis. They exhibit great stability in aqueous solution at room temperature, but undergo efficient Rh-C bond cleavage upon photolysis. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.