Oxidative Addition of Soluble Iridium and Rhodium Complexes to Carbon-Hydrogen Bonds in Alkanes

摘要

An example of the intermolecular reaction has been uncovered, in which a soluble metal complex undergoes oxidative addition into the C-H bonds of completely saturated hydrocarbons, leading to hydridoalkylmetal complexes. Our most extensive work has been done with iridium, but preliminary results indicate that the analogous rhodium complexes undergo similar C-H insertions, although the products are considerably less stable. We have found it possible to convert the insertion products into organic halides, indicating that overall conversion of alkanes into functionalized organic molecules is feasible. Selectivity studies have shown that the reactive iridium complex favors insertion into aromatic, primary and small-ring C-H bonds. (ERA citation 09:014358)