UCLA

The reactions between low-valent Rh(I) and Ir(I) metal-carbonyl complexes and arylnitrile oxides possess the electronic and structural features of 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations on these reactions, involving both cyclopentadienyl and carboranyl ligands on the metal carbonyl, explain the ease of the chemical processes and the stabilities of the resulting metallaisoxazolin-5-ones. The metal-carbonyl bond has partial double bond character according to the Wiberg index calculated through NBO analysis, and so the reaction can be considered a normal 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition involving M═C bonds. The rates of formation of the metallacycloadducts are controlled by distortion energy, analogous to their organic counterparts. The superior ability of anionic Ir complexes to share their electron density and accommodate higher oxidation states explains their calculated higher reactivity toward cycloaddition, as compared to Rh analogues.