Water-soluble analogues of Vaska's complex, trans-[IrCl(CO)(PPh3)(2)], have been prepared using the water-soluble phosphine ligands TPPMS and (1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane) PTA. The structural parameters in trans-[IrCl(CO)(TPPMS)], where the sodium cations are encapsulated with kryptofix-221, closely resemble those found in the parent complex, as revealed by X-ray crystallography. C-13 and P-31 NMR of the PTA derivative demonstrate the trans arrangement for phosphine ligands in this derivative as well. The oxygen adduct [(O-2)-IrCl(CO)(TPPMS)(2)] has been isolated and identified by infrared spectroscopy (v(CO) = 2012 cm(-1) and v(O2) = 854 cm(-1)) and P-31 NMR (delta 12.8 ppm). The solution behavior of trans-[IrCl(CO)(TPPMS)(2)] (1) in water is markedly different from that of Vaska's complex in organic solvent; that is, reactions with O-2 and H-2 are irreversible due to formation of the strongly hydrated proton and chloride ions produced during these processes. Importantly, complex 1 has been shown to be, an active catalyst for the hydrogenation of olefinic double bonds in short-chain unsaturated acids in aqueous solution. Included in these studies were crotonic, maleic, fumaric, and alpha-acetamidocinnamic acids. The turnover frequency for the hydrogenation of maleic acid in water was significantly greater employing 1 as a catalyst than the comparable process involving Vaska's complex in dimethylacetamide at a much higher temperature. In addition complex 1 was demonstrated to be an effective catalyst for both hydrogenation and isomerization of unsaturated fatty acids in soybean lecithin. More significantly was the observation that cis-trans isomerization was selective over hydrogenation in these liposomes; for example, oleic acid was isomerized to elaidic acid with little hydrogenation.
