Interaction of N-(aryl)picolinamides with iridium. N–H and C–H bond activations

Reaction of N-(4-R-phenyl)picolinamide (R = OCH₃, CH₃, H, Cl and NO₂) with Ir(PPh₃)₃Cl] in refluxing ethanol in the presence of a base (NEt₃) affords two yellow complexes (1-R and 2-R). The 1-R complexes contain an amide ligand coordinated to the metal center as a monoanionic bidentate N,N donor along with two triphenylphosphines, a chloride and a hydride. The 2-R complexes contain an amide ligand coordinated to the metal center as a monoanionic bidentate N,N donor along with two triphenylphosphines and two hydrides. Similar reaction of N-(naphthyl)picolinamide with Ir(PPh₃)₃Cl] affords two organometallic complexes, 3 and 4. In complex 3 the amide ligand is coordinated to the metal center, via C–H activation of the naphthyl ring at the 8-position, as a dianionic tridentate N,N,C donor, along with two triphenylphosphines and one chloride. Complex 4 is similar to complex 3, except a hydride is bonded to iridium instead of the chloride. Structures of the 1-OCH₃, 2-Cl and 4 complexes have been determined by X-ray crystallography. All the complexes are diamagnetic, and show characteristic ¹H NMR signals and intense MLCT transitions in the visible region. Cyclic voltammetry on all the complexes shows a Ir^III–Ir^IV oxidation within 0.50–1.16 V vs. SCE and a reduction of the coordinated amide ligand within −1.02 to −1.25 V vs. SCE.