Synthesis and Reactivity of Phosphine-Quinolinolato Rhodium Complexes: Intermediacy of Vinylidene and (Amino)carbene Complexes in the Catalytic Hydroamination of Terminal Alkynes

We report here on the syntheses of rhodium­(I) complexes bearing a phosphine-quinolinolate ligand and the isolation of two classes of important intermediates in the anti-Markovnikov hydroamination of terminal alkynes with secondary amines: vinylidene-bridged dirhodium complexes and (amino)­carbene complexes. We first prepared various rhodium­(I) complexes bearing a phosphine-quinolinolate ligand and found that some of these complexes had catalytic activity for the anti-Markovnikov hydroamination of terminal alkynes with secondary amines. The reaction of stoichiometric amounts of a (PNO)Rh complex with terminal alkynes provided vinylidene-bridged dirhodium complexes. When the resulting vinylidene complexes were reacted with secondary amines, (amino)­carbene complexes were generated, which gave the hydroamination product upon heating with an additive. These results suggest that this anti-Markovnikov hydroamination catalyzed by (PNO)Rh complexes proceeds via vinylidene and (amino)­carbene complexes.