Iridium complexes sulfur ligands

An X-ray crystal structure of 55, redrawn as Fig. 10, supported the formulation of the complex as that of a peroxo system. Further, the structure demonstrated that no interactions between the [Of-] ligand and the borate moiety were possible because of the relative arrangement of the [Of-] and borate ligands about the iridium center. Such interactions were implicated in the oxygen-initiated decomposition of the iridium complex of 52, while the lack of reactivity of the iridium complexes of 53 and 54 was attributed to steric factors arising from the alkyl chains connecting the sulfur atoms. 

A series of benzylidene and low-valent alkylidene complexes have also been prepared from sulfur ylides. Deprotonation of benzyl or alkyl diphenylsulfonium salts with a strong base, such as KN(SiMe3)2, KNPr j or LiNPr generates the corresponding sulfur ylide. Reaction of this ylide with low-valent ruthenium, osmium, rhodium, or iridium complexes containing a labile ligand leads to transfer of the carbene unit from sulfur to... 

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