Reversible P–P bond cleavage at an iridium(iii) metal centre†
Abstract
Treatment of a κ1-P-monodentate bicyclic diphosphane iridium(III) complex with a labile gold(I) precursor afforded an unusual IrIII/AuI complex in which the P–P single bond has been cleaved. This reaction was cleanly reversed upon addition of tertiary phosphine. Carbon–carbon bond activation, across neighbouring P2C2N rings of the coordinated bicyclic diphosphane, occurred upon thermolysis of the IrIII/AuI complex.