Rhodium complexes of 1,3-diaryltriazenes: Usual coordination, N-H bond activation and, N-N and C-N bond cleavage

Reaction of 1,3-diaryltriazenes (R-C₆H₄-NN-(NH)-C₆H₄-R, R = OCH₃, CH₃, H, Cl, NO₂ at the para position) with Rh(PPh₃)₃Cl] in ethanol in the presence of a base (NEt₃) affords a family of yellow complexes (1-R) containing a PPh₃, two de-protonated triazenes coordinated as bidentate N,N-donors, and an aryl (C₆H₄-R) fragment coordinated in the η¹-fashion. A similar reaction in toluene yields a group of reddish-orange complexes (2-R) containing a PPh₃, two N,N-coordinated triazenes, and a chloride. Structures of the 1-CH₃ and 2-CH₃ complexes have been determined by X-ray crystallography. All the 1-R and 2-R complexes are diamagnetic, and show characteristic ¹H NMR signals and intense MLCT transitions in the visible region. The 1-R and 2-R complexes also fluoresce in the visible region under ambient condition while excited at around 400 nm. Cyclic voltammetry on these complexes shows a Rh(III)-Rh(IV) oxidation (within 0.76-1.68 vs. SCE), followed by an oxidation of the coordinated triazene ligand (except the R = NO₂ complexes). An irreversible reduction of the coordinated triazene is also observed for all the complexes below −0.96 V vs. SCE. In the 1-R and 2-R complexes potential of the Rh(III)-Rh(IV) oxidation correlates linearly with the electron-withdrawing nature of the para-substituent (R).