Rhodium(III) complexes of N-{2-(arylseleno/telluro)ethyl} morpholine: Synthesis, structure and applications as efficient catalyst for transfer hydrogenation reaction of ketones

N-{2-(Arylseleno/telluro)ethyl}morpholine (L1/L2) synthesized by reacting PhSe−/ArTe− (generated insitu) with (2-chloroethyl)morpholine hydrochloride, reacts with RhCl3·3H2O resulting in complexes [RhCl2(L1/L2)4][ClO4] (1/2). 1H, 13C{1H} and 77Se{1H}/125Te{1H} NMR spectra of L1, L2, 1 and 2 were found characteristic. The single crystal structure of 2 has been solved. The L2 binds with Rh in 2 as a monodentate ligand. The geometry around Rh is distorted octahedral. The Rh–Te distances are in the range 2.6509(9)–2.6688(8) Ǻ. Both the complexes efficiently catalyze transfer hydrogenation reaction of acetophenone (TON/TOF up to 9.9 × 104/9.9 × 103 h− 1) and benzophenone (TON up to 9.8 × 104 and TOF up to 9.8 × 103 h− 1).