WATER-SOLUBLE ORGANOMETALLIC COMPOUNDS .5. THE REGIOSELECTIVE CATALYTIC-HYDROGENATION OF UNSATURATED ALDEHYDES TO SATURATED ALDEHYDES IN AN AQUEOUS 2-PHASE SOLVENT SYSTEM USING 1,3,5-TRIAZA-7-PHOSPHAADAMANTANE COMPLEXES OF RHODIUM

The water-soluble phosphine complex of Rh(I), [Rh(PTAH)(PTA)(2)Cl]Cl (1), has been synthesized from RhCl3 and 1,3,5,-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (PTA) in 96% ethanol. This complex is an effective catalyst for the regioselective reduction of unsaturated aldehydes to saturated aldehydes. The rate of hydrogenation of trans-cinnamaldehyde with sodium formate as reductant was studied as a function of catalyst, substrate, and sodium formate concentration. The presence of an excess of PTA was found to inhibit hydrogenations completely. This reaction was also found to be partially inhibited by cyclo-octatetraene and Hg(O), leading to the conclusion that both heterogeneous and homogeneous mechanisms are operating. Recycling experiments show complex 1 to be quite robust, with minimal leaching into the organic phase in a biphasic system. The complex resulting from the addition of an excess of PTA to 1, [Rh(PTAH)(3)(PTA)CL]Cl-3 (2), has been prepared and structurally characterized by a single crystal X-ray diffraction study. P-31 and H-1 NMR, IR, and UV-VIS spectroscopy and pH titrametric measurements were employed to study the reactivity of the various rhodium PTA complexes in aqueous solutions.