Mononuclear rhodium(I) complexes with chelating N-heterocyclic carbene ligands - Catalytic activity for intramolecular hydroamination

The mononuclear cationic RhI complexes [Rh(cod)(mdd)]+X⁻ and [Rh(CO)₂(mdd)]⁺X⁻ (X = BPh₄, PF₆) containing the chelating bidentate N-heterocyclic carbene ligand 1,1′-methylene-3,3′-dimethyldiimidazoline-2,2′-diylidene (mdd) have been synthesised and spectroscopically characterised. The complexes [Rh(cod)(mdd)]⁺BPh₄− and [Rh(CO)₂(mdd)]⁺PF₆⁻ have also been characterised by X-ray crystallography. The dicarbonyl complexes catalyse the intramolecular hydroamination of 4-pentyn-1-amine to 2-methyl-1-pyrroline.6 page(s