N-Assisted Carbon−Hydrogen Bond Activation by Cobalt(I) Complexes

Reactions of 2-(4′-R-phenylazo)-4-methylphenols (R = Me (1), Br (2)) with Co(PMe3)3Cl afford two organocobalt(III) complexes, Co(PMe3)2Cl(Me(C6H3O∩NNC6H3R)·(H2NC6H4R)) (R = Me (3), Br (4)), whereas the reactions of 1 and 2 with Co(PMe3)4 and Co(PMe3)4Me afford the dinuclear complex [Co2(PMe3)4(MeC6H3O∩NH)2] (7) with the cleavage of the NN bond. Crystal structures of 3, 4, and 7 were determined by X-ray crystallography.