Metal complexes of tris(trimethylsilylmethyl)phosphine

Abstract

Complexes of tris(trimethylsilylmethyl)phosphine (siphos) with ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, nickel, palladium, platinum, copper, silver, gold, zinc, cadmium, and mercury have been prepared and characterised by analysis and i.r. and n.m.r. spectroscopy. The formation of the unusual complex RuCl₂(CO)₂[(Me₃SiCH₂)₂PMe]₂ is described. Ethanolic sodium borohydride reacts with trans-MCl(CO)(siphos)₂(M = Rh or Ir) in the presence of the phosphine to give the tetrahydroborate complexes, M(BH₄)(CO)(siphos)₂. With rhodium trichloride and tribromide, the dimeric [RhCl₂(siphos)₂]₂ and the monomeric trans-RhBr₂(siphos)₂ are obtained respectively; the latter shows i.r. and n.m.r. spectra similar to those of the corresponding palladium and platinum complexes.