Rh and Ir dibenzo[a,e]cyclooctatetraene complexes: Chloro, hydroxo, and mixed Au oxo complexes

New and improved procedures are reported for the synthesis of [M(DBCOT)(μ-Cl)]2 (M = Rh, Ir; DBCOT = dibenzo[a,e]cyclooctatetraene) from MCl3(H2O)x or [M(COD)(μ-Cl)]2 and DBCOT. Treatment of [M(DBCOT)(μ-Cl)]2 with [(LAu)3(μ-O)]BF4(L = PPh3, PtBu3) yields the mixed-metal oxo complexes [M(DBCOT)(μ4-O)(AuL)2]2(BF4)2. Dimeric [Rh(DBCOT)(μ-OH)]2 is obtained from the reaction of [M(DBCOT)(μ-Cl)]2 with KOH in EtOH/H2O. All complexes except [Rh(DBCOT)(μ-Cl)]2 have been structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction.