The bridging function of an apparently nonbridging ligand: dinuclear rhodium complexes with Rh(mu-SbR3)Rh as a molecular unit.

Novel dinuclear rhodium complexes of the general composition [Rh2Cl2(mu-CRR')2(mu-SbiPr3)] (4-6) were prepared by thermolysis of the mononuclear precursors trans-[RhCl(=CRR')(SbiPr3)2] in excellent yield. The X-ray crystal structure analysis of 4 (R = R' = Ph) confirms the symmetrical bridging position of the stibane ligand. Related compounds [Rh2Cl2(mu-CPh2)(mu-CRR')(mu-SbiPr3)] (7, 8) with two different carbene units were obtained either from trans-[RhCl(=CPh2)(SbiPr3)2] (1) and RR'CN2 or by a conproportionation of 4 and 5 (R = R' = p-Tol) or 4 and 6 (R= Ph, R' = p-Tol), respectively. While CO reacts with 4 to give the polymeric product [[RhCl(CPh2)(CO)]n] (9), tert-butyl isocyanide replaces the bridging stibane and yields [Rh2Cl2(mu-CPh2)2(mu-CNtBu)] (10). The reaction of 4 with tertiary phosphanes PR3 leads to complete bridge cleavage and affords the mononuclear compounds trans-[RhCl(=CPh2)(PR3)2] (11-15). In contrast, treatment of 4 with SbMe3 and SbEt3 yields the related triply bridged complexes [Rh2Cl2(mu-CPh2)2(mu-SbR3)] (16, 17) by substitution of SbiPr3 for the smaller stibanes. The displacement of the chloro ligands in 4-6 and 10 by n5-cyclopentadienyl gives the dinuclear complexes [(n5-C5H5)2Rh2(mu-CRR')2] (18-20) and [(n5-C5H5)2Rh2(mu-CPh2)2(mu-CNtBu)] (21), of which 18 (R = R' = Ph) was characterized crystallographically.