Functionalized phosphorus analogues of the beta-diketiminato ligand systems: bis(N-arylphosphinimino)acetonitrile-derived complexes of rhodium and iridium

Staudinger reaction of dppm-CN (5) gave the corresponding bis(N-phenylphosphinimino)acetonitrile system (6). Deprotonation with LDA furnished the corresponding anionic ligand 9. Its reaction with [(CO)(2)RhCl](2) gave the corresponding kappa(2)N,N'-chelate complex 11. X-Ray diffraction revealed a non-planar boat-like conformation of the six-membered chelate ring in the crystal. Treatment of 9 with [(nbd)RhCl](2) gave the six-membered chelate complex 12 which features a different twist-like structure in the solid state, as does 13, which was formed by reacting 9 with [(cod)IrCl](2).