The cyclooctadiene ligand in [IrCl(COD)]2 is hydrogenated under transfer hydrogenation conditions: A study in the presence of PPh3 and a strong base in isopropanol
Activation of the [IrCl(COD)]/PPh3/KOiBu transfer hydrogenation precatalyst mixture generates fac and mer-[IrH3(PPh3)3]. Cyclooctadiene is fully converted to cyclooctene and cyclooctane by transfer hydrogenation from isopropanol. Full NMR characterization is provided for the [IrH(COD)(PPh3)2], fac and mer-[IrH3(PPh3)3] complexes. The structure of fac-[IrH3(PPh3)3] has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction.