A versatile rigid binucleating ligand for Rh2(μ-Cl)2 moieties: its application as a catalyst in hydrogenation and cyclopropanation

A rigid non-deforming "MCl 2 M" binucleating ligand [7,8-μ-S(4'-C 6 H 3 (CH 3 ))S-C 2 B 9 H 1 0 ] - able to held the two rhodium atoms in a cooperative distance has been synthesized. The original two bridging chlorides are retained in [Rh 2 (C 5 Me 5 ) 2 Cl 2 {7,8-μ-S(4'-C 6 H 3 (CH 3 ))S-C 2 B 9 H 1 0 }] + . Hydrogenation of 1-hexene is 10 times faster with [Rh 2 (C 5 Me 5 ) 2 Cl 2 {7,8-μ-S(4'-C 6 H 3 (CH 3 ))S-C 2 B 9 H 1 0 }] + than with [Rh 2 (C 5 Me 5 ) 2 Cl 4 ]. A hydrogenation mechanism has been proposed which assumes that [Rh 2 (C 5 Me 5 ) 2 (Cl)(H){7,8-μ-S(4'-C 6 H 3 (CH 3 ))S-C 2 B 9 H 1 0 }] + is the first generated species in the process.