Tuning the Catalytic Activity of a Pincer Complex of Rhodium(I) by Supramolecular and Redox Stimuli

We report the rhodium(I) complex [Rh(CNC-NDI)(CO)]⁺ , in which CNC-NDI refers to a pincer-CNC ligand decorated with a naphthalenediimide moiety. Due to the presence of the planar CNC ligand and the naphthalenediimide moiety, the electronic nature of the complex can be modulated by means of supramolecular and redox stimuli, respectively. The metal complex shows a strong π-π-stacking interaction with coronene. This interaction has an impact on the electron-richness of the metal, as demonstrated by the shifting of the ν(CO) stretching band to a lower frequency. The addition of tetrabutylammonium fluoride facilitates the sequential one- and two-electron reduction of the NDI moiety of the ligand, thus resulting in a situation in which the ligand can increase its electron-donor strength in two levels. The nature of the interaction with the fluoride anion was studied computationally. The catalytic activity of the [Rh(CNC-NDI)(CO)]⁺ complex was tested in the cycloisomerization of alkynoic acids, where it is observed that the activity of the catalyst can be modulated between four levels of activity, which correspond to i) the use of the unmodified catalyst, ii) catalyst+coronene, iii) catalyst+2 equivalents of fluoride, and iv) catalyst+5 equivalents of fluoride.