A 2-iridafuran from reaction between a 1-iridaindene and methyl propiolate

The coordinatively unsaturated 1-iridaindene, Ir[C₈H₅(Ph-3)]Cl(PPh₃)₂ has a labile chloride ligand and is easily converted to the corresponding iodide, Ir[C₈H₅(Ph-3)]I(PPh₃)₂ (1) by reaction with NaI. When Ir[C₈H₅(Ph-3)]I(PPh₃)₂ (1) is treated with methyl propiolate a reactive five-coordinate complex with both a diphenylvinyl ligand from ring-opening of the 1-iridaindene, and a 3-methoxy-3-oxoprop-1-ynyl ligand from deprotonation of methyl propiolate, is first produced. Reaction of this complex with aqueous HCl generates the 2-iridafuran, Ir[OC₃H(CHCPh₂-3)(OMe-5)]ClI(PPh₃)₂ (2) probably from initial protonation at the β-carbon of the 3-methoxy-3-oxoprop-1-ynyl ligand to form a vinylidene ligand and subsequent migration of the diphenylvinyl ligand to the α-carbon of this ligand accompanied by oxygen coordination to iridium. Similar treatment of 1 with methyl propiolate followed by aqueous HI gives the corresponding complex, Ir[OC₃H(CHCPh₂-3)(OMe-5)]I₂(PPh₃)₂ (3). The X-ray crystal structures of 2 and 3 together with NMR spectroscopic data confirm the 2-metallafuran structures of these complexes.