Synthesis and characterisation of a new class of phosphine-phosphonite ferrocenediyl dinuclear rhodium complexes

We previously reported the easy access to mixed ferrocenediyl ligands bearing phosphine and phosphonite moieties. Using this strategy, a new enantiopure phosphine-menthylphosphonite ferrocenediyl has been synthesised. This mixed ligand leads to original unsymmetrical dinuclear rhodium coordination-complexes. One example of this new class of “quasi-close bridging A frame” dinuclear rhodium complexes, fully characterised by multinuclear 1H, 13C, 31P and 103Rh NMR and optical rotation measurements, is presented. Preliminary tests have shown an activity improvement in the hydroformylation of oct-1-ene using the phosphine-menthylphosphonite ferrocenediyl auxiliary compared to known phosphine-phosphonite ligands.