Reversible P-P bond cleavage at an iridium(iii) metal centre

Abstract

Treatment of a κ1-P-monodentate bicyclic diphosphane iridium(iii) complex with a labile gold(i) precursor afforded an unusual IrIII/AuI complex in which the P-P single bond has been cleaved. This reaction was cleanly reversed upon addition of tertiary phosphine. Carbon-carbon bond activation, across neighbouring P2C2N rings of the coordinated bicyclic diphosphane, occurred upon thermolysis of the IrIII/AuI complex.