Rhodium(I) carbonyl complexes of triphenylphosphine chalcogenides and their catalytic activity

Rhodium(I) carbonyl complexes [Rh(CO)₂ClL] where L = Ph₃PO, Ph₃PS and Ph₃PSe, were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, i.r. and by ¹H-, ¹³C- and ³¹P-n.m.r. spectroscopy. The vBD;(CO) band frequencies in the complexes follow the order: Ph₃PO > Ph₃PS > Ph₃PSe, in keeping with the hard/soft nature of the interactions. The complexes undergo oxidative additions with electrophiles such as MeI, PhCH₂Cl and I₂ to give, e.g. [Rh(CO)(COMe)ClIL] which react with PPh₃ to give trans-[Rh(CO)Cl(PPh₃)₂]. The catalytic activity of the [Rh(CO)₂ClL] complexes in carbonylation of MeOH is higher than that of the well-known [Rh(CO)₂I₂]⁻ species. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.