Synthesis of New Iridium N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes and Facile Intramolecular Alkyl C−H Bond Activation Reactions of the Carbene Ligand

The new iridium N-heterocyclic carbene complexes CpNIr(Ii-PrMe)I2 and CpIr(Ii-PrMe)I2 (CpN = (2-(dimethylamino)ethyl)cyclopentadienyl; Ii-PrMe = 1,3-diisopropyl-4,5-dimethylimidazol-2-ylidene) have been synthesized along with Ir(cod)(Ii-PrMe)Cl, CpNIr(Ii-PrMe)(η2-cod), and CpIr(Ii-PrMe)(η2-cod). Facile intramolecular alkyl C−H bond activation reactions of Cp*Ir(Ii-PrMe)Cl2 (Cp* = η5-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) and CpNIr(Ii-PrMe)I2 have occurred by treatment with MeONa and AgOTf, respectively.