Rhodium(I) and (III) Complexes of Some Phospholes and Their Behavior as Homogeneous Hydrogenation Catalysts

Abstract

Reactions between rhodium(III) chloride hydrate and certain phospholes are described; these result in the formation of both Rh (III) and Rh (I) complexes. The phospholes also react with Rh (I) carbonyl and ethylene complexes. The products of these reactions were investigated as homogeneous catalysts in the hydrogenation of 1-hexene, and some show relative rates of hydrogenation comparable with that of hydridocarbonyltris(triphenylphosphine)rhodium(I) but slower than that of tris(triphenylphosphine)rhodium (I) chloride.