Reactions of tetra-acetatodirhodium(II) with arenesulphinates

Abstract

The reactions of [Rh₂(O₂CMe)₄] with RSO₂H and RSO₂^–(R = Ph or C₆H₄Me-p) have been investigated to determine whether the products formed contain S-bonded sulphinato-ligands or OO′-bonded bridging sulphinato-ligands and Rh–Rh bonds. With RSO₂H, [Rh(O₂SR)₃] or a solvate thereof is always obtained. With RSO₂^–, the initial product is [Rh₂(O₂CMe)₄(O₂SR)₂]^2– and the final product is [Rh₂(OH)₂(OH₂)₂(O₂SR)₆]^2–. In all cases the sulphinato-ligands are S bonded. The preference of rhodium for S rather than O co-ordination of sulphinato-ligands thus appears more important as a structure-determining factor than formation of Rh–Rh bonds.