Substrate and solvent influence on the photochemical C-H bond activation reactivity of (HBPz'3)Rh(CO)2 (Pz'=3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)

Photoreactivity measurements were conducted on the intermolecular C-H bond activation process of (HBPz'3)Rh(CO)2 in different hydrocarbon solutions at room temperature. Absolute quantum efficiencies for C-H activation were obtained and were observed to be dependent on the excitation wavelength and the nature of the substrate. A short-lived monocarbonyl (HBPz'3)Rh(CO) intermediate was implicated in the C-H bond activation pathway, and this reaction was facilitated most effectively upon ultraviolet photolysis.