Double nucleophilic attack on η6-arene(pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)iridium dications. Routes from substituted benzenes to substituted cyclohexenes by addition of two hydrides and two protons

The complexes (C₅Me₅)Ir(η⁶-arene)]BF₄]₂ (arene = toluene, toluene-d₈, t-butylbenzene, methoxybenzene, chlorobenzene, o-xylene, p-xylene, tetralin and phenol) were prepared from the arene and reduced with NaBH₄ to the η⁵-cyclohexadienyl complexes. Attack was exo at the arene and, with one exception, never at the substituent. Toluene showed no site preference but t-butylbenzene was attacked preferentially para, and chlorobenzene, ortho. Methoxybenzene was attacked ipso as well as ortho, meta (predominant), and para, and phenol gave only the meta-isomer. p-Xylene gave one isomer and o-xylene and tetralin gave two. Further reduction occurred on reaction with stronger hydride reducers (e.g., sodium bis(methoxyethoxy)dihydroaluminate) to give mixtures of 1- and 2-substituted cyclohexa-1,3-diene complexes (t-Bu, 2- ( > 95%); Me, 1- (25%), 2- (75%); Cl, 1- ( > 95%); and OMe, 1- (33%), 2- (67%)). The p-xylene complex gave a mixture of the η⁴-1,4-dimethylcyclohexa-1,3- and 1,4-diene complexes. Reaction of the cyclohexadiene complexes with HCl gas gave the free substituted cyclohexenes and (C₅Me₅Ir)₂Cl₄]. The product from t-butylbenzene was predominantly (92%) the 3-substituted cyclohexene; that isomer (65%) and the 1-isomer (34%) were formed from toluene and the 1- (34%) and the 4-isomer (58%) were formed from chlorobenzene. Phenol gave only cyclohexanone. Overall these reactions yield the cyclohexene from the substituted benzene by addition of two hydrides and two protons and the iridium can be recycled.