Fluorosubstituted rhodacarboranes 3,4-(R3P)2-3-H-3,1,2-RhC2B9H11−n F n (n=1, 2, 4): Synthesis, molecular structure, and catalytic properties in hydrosilylation of styrene and phenylacetylene

Hydridorhodacarboranes 3,3-(Ph₂RP)₂-3-H-3,1,2-RhC₂B₉H_11−n F _n (R=Ph, Me;n=1, 2, 4) containing F atoms at the B atoms of the π-carborane ligand were synthesized from (Ph₃P)₃RhCl or (Ph₂MeP)₃RhCl andnido-7,8-C₂B₉H_12−n F _n ⁻ (n=1, 2, 4) salts. Hydridorhodacarboranes 3,3-(Ph₂MeP)₂-3-H-3,1,2-RhC₂B₉H_11−n F _n readily exchange the H atom at the Rh atom for the Cl atom under the action of CH₂Cl₂ to give 3,3-(Ph₂MeP)₂-3-Cl-3,1,2-RhC₂B₉H_11−n F _n . The structures of the 3,3-(Ph₃P)₂-3-H-3,1,2-RhC₂B₉H₇F₄ and 3,3-(Ph₂MeP)₂-3-Cl-3,1,2-RhC₂B₉H₉F₂ complexes were determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. Catalytic properties of the rhodacarbonanes obtained in hydrosilylation of styrene and phenylacetylene by PhMe₂SiH were studied. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp. 570–578, March, 1997.