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The common feature of the four iridium(III) salt complexes, (bis{[(diphenylphosphanyl)methyl]diphenylphosphanylidene}(ethoxyoxoethanylidene)methane-κ4P,C,C′,P′)chloridohydridoiridium(III) chloride methylene chloride 2.75-solvate (4), (bis{[(diphenylphosphanyl)methyl]diphenylphosphanylidene}(ethoxyoxoethanylidene)methane-κ4P,C,C′,P′)chlorido(ethoxyoxoethanido)iridium(III) chloride–methanol–water (1/1/0.5) (5), (bis{[(diphenylphosphanyl)methyl]diphenylphosphanylidene}(ethoxyoxoethanylidene)methane-κ4P,C,C′,P′)dichloridoiridium(III) chloride–methanol–water (1/1/2) (6) and (bis{[(diphenylphosphanyl)methyl]diphenylphosphanylidene}(ethoxyoxoethanylidene)methane-κ4P,C,C′,P′)carbonyl(ethoxyoxoethanide)iridium(III) dichloride–methylene chloride–water (1/2/1.5) (7) or in terms of their formulae [Ir(C55H50O2P4)ClH]Cl·2.75CH2Cl2 (4), [Ir(C4H7O2)(C55H50O2P4)Cl]Cl·CH3OH·0.5H2O (5), [Ir(C55H50O2P4)Cl2]Cl·CH3OH·2H2O (6) and [Ir(C4H7O2)(C55H50O2P4)(CO)]Cl2·2CH2Cl2·1.5H2O (7) is a central IrIII atom coordinated in a distorted octahedral fashion by a PCCP ligand system and two additional residues, such as chlorides, a hydride, a carbonyl or an alkyl unit. Thereby, the PCP pincer ligand system and the residue trans to the carbodiphosphorane (CDP) C atom surround the iridium(III) transition metal in the equatorial plane under the formation of two five-membered dissimilar chelate rings [C—CCDP—P (4, 5, 6 and 7) for the first ring: 120.2 (3), 121.9 (5), 111.2 (3) and 121.7 (2) °; for the second ring: 112.1 (3), 113.5 (5), 120.5 (3) and 108.3 (2)°]. A cyclopropane-like heterocycle is positioned approximately orthogonal (84.21–88.85°) to the equatorial plane, including an alkylidene bridge connecting the IrIII atom and the coordinating CDP atom of the PCP subunit. In general, the neutral PCCP ligand system coordinates the metal in a tetradentate way via three Lewis acid/base bonds and by an alkylidene unit presenting strengthened interactions. In all the crystal structures, (disordered) solvent molecules are present in the voids of the packed molecules that interact with the positively charged complex and its chloride counter-ion(s) through weak hydrogen bonding.

The reaction of [IrIII{C(dppm)2-κ3P,C,P′}ClH(NH3C2)]Cl with ethyl diazoacetate, a well known C=C coupling reagent, leads to the formation of a C=C unit, accompanied by N2 abstraction, reorganization of a dppm subunit and, considered as a whole, to the transformation of the PCP pincer carbodiphosphorane system to a phosphorus ylide ligand. After removal of the halogenides, the iridium center is stabilized by the carbonyl O atom through the formation of a five-membered chelate ring. A PCO pincer ligand system is thereby generated, which coordinates the iridium(III) atom threefold in a facial manner. The phosphorus electron-donor atoms and the ylide carbon atom of the resulting [IrIII{C(C4H6O2)(dppm)-κ3P,C,O}(dppm)H](CF3O3S)2 complex, also termed as [bis(diphenylphosphanyl)methane]({[(diphenylphosphanyl)methyl]diphenylphosphanylidene}(ethoxyoxoethanylidene)methanylidene-κ3P,C,O)hydridoiridium(III) bis(trifluoromethanesulfonate), are in plane and the hydrido ligand and the carbonyl O atom are located trans to each other, perpendicular to the meridional plane. The addition of carbon monoxide causes a replacement of the carbonyl O atom of the acetate subunit by a carbonyl ligand, thereby creating [bis(diphenylphosphanyl)methane]carbonyl({[(diphenylphosphanyl)methyl]diphenylphosphanylidene}(ethoxyoxoethanylidene)methanylidene-κ2P,C}hydridoiridium(III) bis(trifluoromethanesulfonate)–dichloromethane–ethyl acetate (6/2/3) or, more simply, [IrIII{C(C4H6O2)(dppm)-κ2P,C}(CO)(dppm)H](CF3O3S)2·0.33CH2Cl2·0.5C4H8O2. One trifluoromethanesulfonate counter-ion of 3 shows positional disorder in a 2:1 ratio. Complex 4 shows pseudo-merohedral twinning (matrix: \overline{1} 0 0 0 \overline{1} 0 1 0 1). The dichloromethane solvent is disordered over two orientations with occupation factors of 0.5 and 0.166.

Compound [Ir(C8H12)(C51H45P4)]Cl2 or [Ir(cod)(CH(dppm)2-κ3P,C,P)]Cl2 (1a), was obtained from [IrCl(cod)]2 and the carbodiphosphorane (CDP) salt [CH(dppm)2]Cl [where cod = cycloocta-1,5-diene and dppm = bis(diphenylphosphino)methane]. Treatment of 1a with thallium(I) trifluoromethanesulfonate [Tl(OTf)] and subsequent crystallization gave complex [Ir(C8H12)(C51H45P4)](OTf)2·CH3CO2C2H5·CH2Cl2 or [Ir(cod)(CH(dppm)2-κ3P,C,P)](OTf)2·CH3CO2C2H5·CH2Cl2 (1b) [systematic name: (cycloocta-1,5-diene)(1,1,3,3,5,5,7,7-octaphenyl-1,7-diphospha-3,5-diphosphoniaheptan-4-yl)iridium(I) bis(trifluoromethanesulfonate)–ethyl acetate–dichloromethane (1/1/1)]. This five-coordinate iridium(I) complex cation adopts a trigonal–bipyramidal geometry with the CDP carbon and one cod double bond in axial sites. Compound 1b represents the first example of a non-meridional coordination of the PCP pincer ligand [CH(dppm)2]+ with a P—Ir—P angle of 98.08 (2)°. Compound 2, [IrCl2H(C51H44P4)]·(CH3)2CO or [IrCl2H(C(dppm)2-κ3P,C,P)]·(CH3)2CO [systematic name: dichloridohydrido(1,1,3,3,5,5,7,7-octaphenyl-1,5λ5,7-triphospha-3-phosphoniahept-4-en-4-yl)iridium(III) acetone monosolvate], crystallizes as an acetone monosolvate. It is a six-coordinate IrIII coordination compound. Here, the PCP pincer ligand is coordinated in a meridional manner; one chlorido ligand is positioned trans to the carbon donor, the remaining two coordination sites being occupied by the second chlorido and a hydrido ligand trans to each other. Complex 3, [IrCl2H(C51H45P4)]Cl·5H2O or [IrCl2H(CH(dppm)2-κ3P,C,P)]Cl·5H2O [systematic name: dichloridohydrido(1,1,3,3,5,5,7,7-octaphenyl-1,7-diphospha-3,5-diphosphoniaheptan-4-yl)iridium(III) chloride pentahydrate], represents the conjugate CH acid of 2. The ligand [CH(dppm)2]+ is coordinated in a meridional manner. In the cationic six-coordinate IrIII complex 4, [IrClH(CO)(C51H44P4)]Cl·2CH3OH·H2O or [IrClH(CO)(C(dppm)2-κ3P,C,P)]Cl·2CH3OH·H2O [systematic name: carbonylchloridohydrido(1,1,3,3,5,5,7,7-octaphenyl-1,5λ5,7-triphospha-3-phosphoniahept-4-en-4-yl)iridium(III) chloride–methanol–water (1/2/1)], the chlorido ligand is found in the plane defined by the Ir center and the meridional PCP ligand; the H and CO ligands are positioned axially to this plane and trans to each other.

After the successful creation of the newly designed PCP carbodiphosphorane (CDP) ligand [Reitsamer et al. (2012). Dalton Trans. 41, 3503–3514; Stallinger et al. (2007). Chem. Commun. pp. 510–512], the treatment of this PCP pincer system with the transition metal iridium and further the analysis of the structures by single-crystal diffraction and by NMR spectroscopy were of major interest. Two different iridium complexes, namely (bis{[(diphenylphosphanyl)methyl]diphenylphosphanylidene}methane-κ3P,C,P′)carbonylchloridohydridoiridium(III) chloride dichloromethane trisolvate, [IrIII(CO){C(dppm)2-κ3P,C,P′}ClH]Cl·3CH2Cl2 (1) and the closely related (bis{[(diphenylphosphanyl)methyl]diphenylphosphanylidene}methanide(1+)-κ3P,C,P′)carbonylchloridohydridoiridium(III) dichloride–hydrochloric acid–water (1/2/5.5), [IrIII(CO){CH(dppm)2-κ3P,C,P′)ClH]Cl}2 (2), have been designed and both complexes show a slightly distorted octahedral coordinated IrIII centre. The PCP pincer ligand system is arranged in a meridional manner, the CO ligand is located trans to the central PCP carbon and a hydride and chloride are located perpendicular above and below the P2C2 plane. With an Ir—CCDP distance of 2.157 (5) Å, an Ir—CO distance of 1.891 (6) Å and a quite short C—O distance of 1.117 (7) Å, complex 1 presents a strong carbonyl bond. Complex 2, the corresponding CH acid of 1, shows an additionally attached proton at the carbodiphosphorane carbon atom located antiperiplanar to the hydride of the metal centre. In comparison with complex 1, the Ir—CCDP distance of 2.207 (3) Å is lengthened and the Ir—C—O values indicate a weaker trans influence of the central carbodiphosphorane carbon atom.