Facile synthesis of rhodium(III) porphyrin silyls by silicon-hydrogen bond activation with rhodium(III) porphyrin halides and methyls

Rhodium(III) porphyrin silyls were synthesized in high yields conveniently from the reactions of rhodium(III) porphyrin halides and methyls with silanes, via silicon-hydrogen bond activation (SiHA) in solvent-free conditions. Preliminary mechanistic experiments suggested that rhodium(III) porphyrin chlorides initially formed cationic rhodium(III) species, which then underwent heterolysis to give the products. On the other hand, rhodium(III) porphyrin methyls underwent either oxidative addition or sigma-bond metathesis to form the products.