Pyrazolyl-bridged iridium dimers. 18.(1) influence of metal-metal bonding on the geometry of diiridium(II) adducts and hydrido-diiridium complexes formed from the diiridium(I) prototype [Ir(mu-pz)(PPh(3))(CO)](2) (pzH = Pyrazole) by dihydrogen addition or protonation

Slow uptake of molecular dihydrogen by the diiridium(I) prototype Ir(mu-pz)(PPh(3))(CO)](2) (1: pzH = pyrazole) is accompanied by formation of a 1,2-dihydrido-diiridium(II) adduct IrH(mu-pz)(PPh(3))(CO)](2) (2), for which an X-ray crystal structure determination reveals that (unlike in 1) the PPh(3) ligands are axial, with the hydrides occupying trans coequatorial positions across the Ir-Ir bond (2.672 A). Reaction with CCl(4) effects hydride replacement in 2, affording the monohydride Ir(2)H(Cl)(mu-pz)(2)(PPh(3))(2)(CO)(2) (3) in which Ir-Ir = 2.683 A. At one metal center, H is equatorial and PPh(3) is axial, while at the other, Cl is axial as is found in the symmetrically substituted product Ir(mu-pz)(PPh(3))(CO)Cl](2) (4) (Ir-Ir = 2.754 A) that is formed by action of CCl(4) on 1. Treatment of 1 with I(2) yields the diiodo analogue 5 of 4, which reacts with LiAlH(4) to afford the isomorph Ir(2)H(I)(mu-pz)(2)(PPh(3))(2)(CO)(2) (6) of 3 (Ir-Ir = 2.684 A). Protonation (using HBF(4)) of 1 results in formation of the binuclear cation Ir(2)H(mu-pz)(2)(PPh(3))(2)(CO)(2)(+) (7: BF(4)(-) salt), which shows definitive evidence (from NMR) for a terminally bound hydride in solution (CH(2)Cl(2) or THF), but 7 crystallizes as an axially symmetric unit in which Ir-Ir = 2.834 A. Reaction of 7 with water or wet methanol leads to isolation of the cationic diiridium(III) products Ir(2)H(2)(mu-OX)(mu-pz)(2)(PPh(3))(2)(CO)(2)]BF(4) (8, X = H; 9, X = Me).