Synthesis and X-ray crystal structure of a novel organometallic (μ3-oxido)(μ3-imido) trinuclear iridium complex

Abstract

Reaction of the organometallic aqua ion [Cp*Ir(H₂O)₃]²⁺ with tert-butyl(trimethylsilyl)amine in acetone yielded a novel trinuclear (μ₃-oxido)(μ₃-imido)pentamethylcyclopentadienyliridium(III) complex, [(Cp*Ir)₃(O)(N^tBu)]²⁺. Single crystal structure analyses show the complex can be isolated both in the double salt (^tBuNH₃)[(Cp*Ir)₃(O)(N^tBu)](CF₃SO₃)₃ (1) and in the simple triflate [(Cp*Ir)₃(O)(N^tBu)](CF₃SO₃)₂ (2). The double salt is stabilized by hydrogen bonding between the tert-butylammonium ion and the three triflate anions. It is the first time that a trinuclear (μ₃-oxido)(μ₃-imido) transition metal complex has been structurally characterized.