Ligating properties of thionitrosoamines: III. Carbonyl complexes of rhodium(I) and rhodium(III) containing N-thionitrosodimethylamine

Me₂NNS reacts with Rh(CO)₂Cl]₂ to produce the complex cis-Rh(SNNMe₂)(CO)₂Cl (1). The latter undergoes reversible CO substitution by Me₂NNS to give the complex trans-Rh(SNNMe₂)₂(CO)Cl (2a). Complexes 1 and 2a, in solution lose CO and Me₂NSS, respectively, to give the complex trans-(μ-Cl)₂Rh(SNNMe₂)(CO)]₂ (3). Complex 1 can also be prepared by bubbling CO through a CH₂Cl₂ solution of Rh(SNNMe₂)(diene)Cl (diene = 1,5-cyclooctadiene (4a), norbornadiene (4b)) obtained by a bridge-splitting reaction of Me₂NNS with Rh(diene)Cl]₂. 1 and 2a react with EPh₃ (E = P, As, Sb) to give the complexes trans-Rh(EPh₃)₂(CO)Cl. The complexes trans-Rh(E′Ph₃)₂(CO)X (X = Cl, E′ = As, Sb; X = Br, NCS, E′ = As) undergo reversible E′Ph₃ displacement upon treatment with Me₂NNS to give the complexes trans-Rh(SNNMe₂)₂(CO)X (X = Cl (2a), Br (2b), NCS (2c)). Oxidative additions of Br₂, I₂, or HgCl₂ to 2a produce stable adducts, while the reaction of 2a with CH₃I gives an inseparable mixture of the adduct Rh(SNNMe₂)₂(CO)(CH₃)ClI and the acetyl derivative Rh(SNNMe₂)₂(CH₃CO)ClI. A mixture of the acetyl derivative (μ-Cl)₂Rh(SNNMe₂)(CH₃CO)I]₂ and the adduct (μ-Cl)₂Rh(SNNMe₂)(CO)(CH₃)I]₂ is obtained by treating 1 with CH₃I. The IR spectra of all the compounds are consistent with S-coordination of Me₂NNS. Because of the restricted rotation around the NN bond, the ¹H NMR spectra of the new compounds exhibit two quadruplets in the range 3.5–4.3δ when ⁴J(HH) = 0.7–0.5 Hz. When ⁴J(HH) < 0.5 Hz, the perturbing effect of the quadrupolar relaxation of the ¹⁴N nucleus obscures the spin-spin coupling and two broad signals are observed in the range 3.6–4δ.