Direct coupling of nitriles and aniline to form the triazapentadiene species &z.ub1s; Rh super(III){NH&z.dbd; C(R )N(Ph)C(R)&z.dbd; N&z.ub1e; H}

The facile and high-yield reaction between aniline and cis-positioned nitriles of [( super()tpy) sub(2)Rh(NCR) sub(2)][OTf] sub(3) [R = Me (2), Ph (3); super()tpy = 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine; OTf = CF sub(3)SO sub(3) super(-)] produces the Rh super(III)-triazapentadiene species [( super()tpy) sub(2)&z.ub1s; Rh{NH&z.dbd; C(R)N(Ph)C(R)&z.dbd ; N&z.ub1e; H}][OTf] sub(3) [R = Me (4), Ph (5)]. It represents the first example of direct coupling between two RCN ligands and a primary amine to form this type of metallacycle. X-ray structures of 2 and 4 are reported.