Solvent effect for oxidative addition of hydrogen in solvents from toluene to water: reaction of H2 with trans-[Ir(CO)Cl{PPh2(C6H4SO3K-m)}2]
Abstract
A significant enhancement in the rate of oxidative addition of H2 to square-planar iridium(II) complexes in water is observed; kinetic studies of the addition of H2 to trans-[Ir(CO)Cl(PPh3)2] in toluene and of H2 to trans-[Ir(CO)Cl{PPh2(C6H4SO3K-m)}2] in water show a factor of 45 increase in rate constant in water; this solvent effect is shown to be general for the solvents toluene, chlorobenzene, N,N-dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide and water, and has important ramifications for catalysis in water.