CHIRALITY AND THE METAL-ALKENE BOND - DISTORTIONS IN THE SOLUTION AND SOLID-STATE STRUCTURES OF ETA(2)-ETHENE RHODIUM BIS-OXAZOLINYLMETHANE COMPLEXES

The X-ray crystal structure of N,N,-Bis-[2-((4S)-(methyl)-1,3-oxazolinyl)] bis(eta(2)ethene)rhodium(I) has been determined, and demonstrates a specific distortion from ideal bonding geometry of the alkenes which maintains C-2 symmetry. This distorted structure is shown to be maintained in solution for this complex and the (4S)-(1-methylethyl) analogue by H-1 NMR studies particularly nOe. Extended Huckel calculations have been carried out on a simple model, and demonstrate the relative ease of some (RhC=C) bending modes in which C-2 symmetry is maintained.