From carbones to carbenes and ylides in the coordination sphere of iridium

The carbodiphosphorane-based iridium pincer complex ( 2 ) is demonstrated to rearrange in chlorinated organic solvents under cleavage of a P-C-bond to give a chelating phosphine ylide ligand. A detailed mechanistic investigation reveals that these types of donor groups are prone for P-C-bond cleavage in the coordination sphere of transition metal hydrido complexes. Finally, complex 2 is demonstrated to be an efficient hydrogen-borrowing catalyst. A carbodiphosphorane-based iridium pincer complex is demonstrated to rearrange in chlorinated organic solvents under cleavage of a P-C-bond to give a chelating phosphine ylide ligand.