Dissociation of carbanions from acyl iridium compounds: an experimental and computational investigation

Instead of reductive elimination of aldehyde, or decarbonylation to give a trifluoroalkyl hydride, heating Cp(PMe(3))Ir(H)[C(O)CF(3)] (1) leads to the quantitative formation of Cp(PMe(3))Ir(CO) (2) and CF(3)H. Kinetic experiments, isotope labeling studies, solvent effect studies, and solvent-inclusive DFT calculations support a mechanism that involves initial dissociation of trifluoromethyl anion to give the transient ion-pair intermediate [Cp(PMe(3))Ir(H)(CO)](+)[CF(3)](-). Further evidence for the ability of CF(3)(-) to act as a leaving group came from the investigation of the analogous methyl and chloride derivatives Cp(PMe(3))Ir(Me)[C(O)CF(3)] and Cp(PMe(3))Ir(Cl)[C(O)CF(3)]. Both of these compounds undergo a similar loss of trifluoromethyl anion, generating an iridium carbonyl cation and CF(3)D in CD(3)OD. Three additional acyl hydrides, Cp(PMe(3))Ir(H)[C(O)R(F)] (where R(F) = CF(2)CF(3), CF(2)CF(2)CF(3), or CF(2)(CF(2))(6)CF(3)) undergo R(F)-H elimination to give 2 at a faster rate than CF(3)H elimination from 1. Stereochemical studies using a chiral acyl hydride with a stereocenter at the beta-position reveal that ionization of the carbanion occurs to form a tight ion-pair with high retention of configuration and enantiomeric purity upon proton transfer from iridium.