Generation and Reactivity of {(Ethane‐1,2‐diyl)bis[diisopropylphosphine‐κP]}‐{[2,4,6‐tri(tert‐butyl)phenyl]phosphino‐κP}rhodium ([Rh{PH(tBu3C6H2)}(iPr2PCH2CH2PiPr2)]): Catalytic C−P Bond Formation via Intramolecular C−H/P−H Dehydrogenative Cross‐Coupling

The complex Rh(η³‐benzyl)(dippe)] ( 1 ; dippe=bis(diisopropylphosphino)ethane=(ethane‐1,2‐diyl)bisdiisopropylphosphine]) reacted cleanly with Mes*PH₂ ( 2 ; Mes*=2,4,6‐^tBu₃C₆H₂) to provide a new Rh species Rh(H)(dippe)(L)] ( 3 ), L being the 2,3‐dihydro‐3,3‐dimethyl‐1H‐phosphindole ligand 4 (=^tBu₂C₆H₂(CMe₂CH₂PH)) (Scheme 1). Complex 3 was converted to the corresponding chloride Rh(Cl)(dippe)(L)] ( 6 ) when treated with CH₂Cl₂, whereas the dimeric species Rh₂{μ‐^tBu₂C₆H₂(CMe₂CH₂P)}(μ‐H)(dippe)₂] ( 7 ) was formed upon thermolysis in toluene (Scheme 2). The structures of 6 and 7 ⋅C₇H₈ were determined by X‐ray crystallography. Complexes 1 and 3 served as catalyst precursors for the dehydrogenative coupling of C−H and P−H bonds in the conversion of 2 to 4 (Scheme 3). Deuteration studies with Mes*PD₂ exposed a complex series of bond‐activation pathways that appear to involve C−H activation of the dippe ligand by the Rh‐atom (Schemes 4 and 5)