Rhodium(ii) dimers without metal–metal bonds†
Abstract
Oxidation of (MeBDI)Rh(cyclooctene) (MeBDI = [2,6-Me2C6H3NCMe]2CH) with Br2 or I2 produces paramagnetic halide-bridged RhII dimers [(MeBDI)Rh]2(μ-X)2 without a direct Rh–Rh bond. Steric factors are proposed to play a key role in preventing the formation of Rh–Rh bonded alternative structures.