| Arguably, one the most important reactions in organometallic chemistry today is nucleophilic attack on a coordinated olefin. Previous research has shown that platinum(II) complexes could be used as catalyst precursors for the hydroamination of bound olefins at low temperatures to give Anti-Markovnikov products; however, the products rearranged upon warming to give the more preferred, Markovnikov regiochemistry. In an attempt to expand upon this research, several alkylphosphine complexes of iridium(I) were synthesized and characterized using NMR spectroscopy. One promising complex, cis-(PEt 3)2(C2H4)2Cl, was tested for its susceptibility towards nucleophilic attack by sodium methoxide and diethylamine. NMR spectra indicated that nucleophilic attack on the iridium-bound olefin did not occur; the reactions appear to be dominated by beta-hydride elimination to give hydride complexes which were also characterized by NMR spectroscopy. |
