Ir^III/Au^I and Rh^III/Au^I Heterobimetallic Complexes as Catalysts for the Coupling of Nitrobenzene and Benzylic Alcohol

Two simple bisimidazolium salts derived from m- or p-bisimidazolebenzenes have been used as ligand precursors for the preparation of a series of heterobimetallic RhIII/AuI and IrIII/AuI complexes. All complexes have been fully characterized, and the molecular structures of selected derivatives have been determined by X-ray diffraction studies. These analyses showed that, regardless of the ligand used, the direct coordination environment of the...