Iridium(III) complexes formed by O-H and/Or C-H activation of 2-(arylazo)phenols.

Reaction of 2-(arylazo)phenols with [Ir(PPh(3))(3)Cl] in refluxing ethanol in the presence of a base (NEt(3)) affords complexes of three different types, viz. [Ir(PPh(3))(2)(NO-R)(H)Cl] (R = OCH(3), CH(3), H, Cl and NO(2)), [Ir(PPh(3))(2)(NO-R)(H)(2)] and [Ir(PPh(3))(2)(CNO-R)(H)]. Structures of the [Ir(PPh(3))(2)(NO-Cl)(H)Cl], [Ir(PPh(3))(2)(NO-Cl)(H)(2)] and [Ir(PPh(3))(2)(CNO-Cl)(H)] complexes have been determined by X-ray crystallography. In the [Ir(PPh(3))(2)(NO-R)(H)Cl] and [Ir(PPh(3))(2)(NO-R)(H)(2)] complexes, the 2-(arylazo)phenolate ligands are coordinated to the metal center as monoanionic bidentate N,O-donors, whereas in the [Ir(PPh(3))(2)(CNO-R)(H)] complexes, they are coordinated to iridium as dianionic tridentate C,N,O-donors. In all three products formed in ethanol, the two PPh(3) ligands are trans. Reaction of 2-(arylazo)phenols with [Ir(PPh(3))(3)Cl] in refluxing toluene in the presence of NEt(3) affords complexes of two types, viz. [Ir(PPh(3))(2)(CNO-R)(H)] and [Ir(PPh(3))(2)(CNO-R)Cl]. Structure of the [Ir(PPh(3))(2)(CNO-Cl)Cl] complex has been determined by X-ray crystallography, and the 2-(arylazo)phenolate ligand is coordinated to the metal center as a dianionic tridentate C,N,O-donor and the two PPh(3) ligands are cis. All of the iridium(III) complexes show intense MLCT transitions in the visible region. Cyclic voltammetry shows an Ir(III)-Ir(IV) oxidation on the positive side of SCE and an Ir(III)-Ir(II) reduction on the negative side for all of the products.