XBphos-Rh: a halogen-bond assembled supramolecular catalyst

Chem Sci. 2018 Feb 19;9(15):3644-3648. doi: 10.1039/c8sc00233a. eCollection 2018 Apr 21.

Abstract

The use of halogen bonding as a tool to construct a catalyst backbone is reported. Specifically, pyridyl- and iodotetrafluoroaryl-substituted phosphines were assembled in the presence of a rhodium(i) precursor to form the corresponding halogen-bonded complex XBphos-Rh. The presence of fluorine substituents at the iodo-containing supramolecular motif was not necessary for halogen bonding to occur due to the template effect exerted by the rhodium center during formation of the halogen-bonded complex. The halogen-bonded supramolecular complexes were successfully tested in the catalytic hydroboration of terminal alkynes.