Crystal and molecular structure of [Ta(H)2(OC6H3Pri2-2,6)3(PMe2Ph)]: a distorted six-coordinate tantalum dihydride

Abstract

Reaction of [Ta(OC₆H₃Prⁱ₂-2,6)₃R₂](R = CH₂C₆H₄-4-Me) with H₂ in the presence of phosphine ligands (L) leads to the dihydride compounds [Ta(H)₂(OC₆H₃Prⁱ₂-2,6)₃(L)], the solid-state structure of the PMe₂Ph derivative shows a geometry about the metal centre that is severely distorted from octahedral; hydrogenation of aryl-phosphines and other aromatic substrates is catalysed by these dihydride compounds.