Mixed valency in quadruple hydrogen-bonded dimers of bis(biimidazolate)dirhodium complexes

Dirhodium complexes with biimidazole (H2bim) ligands [Rh2(O2CR)2(H2bim)2Cl2] (R = Bu ([1Cl2]), Pr ([2Cl2])), [Rh2(O2CBu)2(H2bim)2](PF6)2 ([1](PF6)2), [Rh2(O2CBu)2(H2bim)2(PPh3)2](PF6)2 ([1(PPh3)2](PF6)2), and [Rh2(O2CPr)2(H2bim)2(PPh3)2]Cl2 ([2(PPh3)2]Cl2) have been synthesized. Deprotonation of the biimidazole complexes afforded the quadruply hydrogen-bonded dimers of the biimidazolate complexes [Rh2(O2CR)2(Hbim)2(PPh3)2]2 (R = Bu ([1'(PPh3)2]2) and Pr ([2'(PPh3)2]2)). Complementary hydrogen bonds between the Hbim(-) ligands are not coplanar because the Hbim(-) ions in one dirhodium complex are not parallel (the dihedral angle between them is ca. 15°). A cyclic voltammogram of [1'(PPh3)2]2 shows two sets of two consecutive oxidation waves in CH2Cl2. The one-electron-oxidized species of [1'(PPh3)2]2 showed no intervalence charge-transfer band in the electronic spectrum and an axially symmetrical ESR spectrum with hyperfine structure because of two phosphorus atoms. These observations show that the odd electron is localized in a σ(Rh-Rh) orbital on one dirhodium unit. Theoretical calculations indicate that an oxidized complex [Rh2(O2CMe)2(bim)2(PMe3)2](-) hydrogen bonded with a biimidazole complex [Rh2(O2CMe)2(H2bim)2(PMe3)2](2+) was a stable mixed-valence complex.