Submitted by Sibrina Collins / College of Arts and Sciences at Lawrence Technological University on Tue, 11/15/2011 - 12:51
Forums

Dear Colleagues,

I hope all is well. My students have prepared trans-Rh(PPh3)2Cl(CO) in the lab and I have found an overall reaction for this experiment. I am thinking about the actual mechanism for this neat reaction. The first step you add hydrated rhodium(III) chloride to DMF and heat it until it changes into a yellow color. At this point, [Rh(CO)2Cl2]- is being generated in solution? I know the CO is coming from DMF. 

SNC

Nancy Williams / Scripps College, Pitzer College, Claremont McKenna College

I'll bet you a nickel it's C-H oxidative addition of the formyl-H bond, followed by either direct 1,3 H+ migration to the nitrogen or a proton shuttle to the nitrogen, followed by extrusion of dimethylamine.

Wed, 11/16/2011 - 12:33 Permalink
Adam Johnson / Harvey Mudd College

You only bet her a nickel?  I figured you'd at least bet her a palladium.  sheesh.

Thu, 11/17/2011 - 01:49 Permalink
Sibrina Collins / College of Arts and Sciences at Lawrence Technological University

I will check this out. Is DMF as "special" as THF?

Sibrina

Fri, 01/06/2012 - 22:40 Permalink