ELECTROCHEMICAL GENERATION OF [RH(DIPHOS)2]0 AND ITS ROLE IN AN ELECTROCATALYTIC REDUCTION OF CYCLOHEXYL HALIDES

The role of odd-electron complexes in the chemistry of oxidative addition reactions, radical-chain processes, and the activation of C-H bonds is a subject of currcnt interest.1 Animportant factor in this last category is the selectivity of theactivation process, which is related to the —energy content– of the M-species. Electrochemical methods for generating odd-electron complexes are appealing because no additional reagents are needed, the reduction potential provides a measure of M-reactivity, and the subsequent chemical reactions of M-generation can be monitored by both chemical and electrochemical techniques. In this report we describe the electrochemical formation of the d9 Rh(0) species [Rh(diphos)2]°(diphos = 1, 2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane) and some of itschemical reactions.© 1979, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.