Todd B. Marder, Nicholas C. Norman, Craig R. Rice and Edward G. Robins
The rhodium bis(boryl) complex [RhCl(PPh3)2{B(cat)}2] (cat = 1,2-O2C6H4) reacts with the diborane(4) compounds B2(O2R)2 {O2R = 1,2-O2C6H3Me-4, 1,2-O2C6H2But2-3,5 and dimethyl-L-tartrate [OCH(CO2Me)CH(CO2Me)O]} affording unsymmetrical metal bis(boryls) [RhCl(PPh3)2{B(cat)}{B(O2 R)}] and diborane(4) compounds (cat)B–B(O2R), one possible mechanism for which involves ς-bond metathesis.