Amine-Assisted C−Cl Bond Activation of Aryl Chlorides by a (Phebox)Rh-Chloro Complex

Oxidative addition of chlorobenzene and p-chlorotoluene by (Phebox)RhCl2(H2O) (1) in the presence of diisopropylamine was examined and was shown to produce the corresponding aryl complexes (Phebox)RhCl(Ar)(H2O) in high yields via C−Cl bond cleavage. Reaction of 1 with chloropyridine in the presence of diisopropylamine provided a pyridinium rhodate complex.