pH-selective synthesis and structures of alkynyl, acyl, and ketonyl intermediates in anti-Markovnikov and Markovnikov hydrations of a terminal alkyne with a water-soluble iridium aqua complex in water

Chemoselective synthesis and isolation of alkynyl Cp*Ir(III)(bpy)CCPh]+ (2, Cp* = eta5-C5Me5, bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine), acyl Cp*Ir(III)(bpy)C(O)CH2Ph]+ (3), and ketonyl Cp*Ir(III)(bpy)CH2C(O)Ph]+ (4) intermediates in anti-Markovnikov and Markovnikov hydration of phenylacetylene in water have been achieved by changing the pH of the solution of a water-soluble aqua complex Cp*Ir(III)(bpy)(H2O)]2+ (1) used as the same starting complex. The alkynyl complex 2]2.SO4 was synthesized at pH 8 in the reaction of 1.SO4 with H2O at 25 degrees C, and was isolated as a yellow powder of 2.X (X = CF3SO3 or PF6) by exchanging the counteranion at pH 8. The acyl complex 3]2.SO4 was synthesized by changing the pH of the aqueous solution of 2]2.SO4 from 8 to 1 at 25 degrees C, and was isolated as a red powder of 3.PF6 by exchanging the counteranion at pH 1. The hydration of phenylacetylene with 1.SO4 at pH 4 at 25 degrees C gave a mixture of 2]2.SO4 and 4]2.SO4. After the counteranion was exchanged from SO4(2-) to CF3SO3-, the ketonyl complex 4.CF3SO3 was separated from the mixture of 2.CF3SO3 and 4.CF3SO3 because of the difference in solubility at pH 4 in water. The structures of 2-4 were established by IR with 13C-labeled phenylacetylene (Ph12C13CH), electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), and NMR studies including 1H, 13C, distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer (DEPT), and correlation spectroscopy (COSY) experiments. The structures of 2.PF6 and 3.PF6 were unequivocally determined by X-ray analysis. Protonation of 3 and 4 gave an aldehyde (phenylacetaldehyde) and a ketone (acetophenone), respectively. Mechanism of the pH-selective anti-Markovnikov vs Markovnikov hydration has been discussed based on the effect of pH on the formation of 2-4. The origins of the alkynyl, acyl, and ketonyl ligands of 2-4 were determined by isotopic labeling experiments with D2O and H2(18)O.