Formation of Doubly Vinyl‐Bridged Binuclear Iridium Complexes by C‐H Activation

A terminal CH bond in H 2 CCH t Bu can be cleaved with, for example, Na 2 CO 3 /EtOH as base in the coordination sphere of an Ir center, leading to [{CH 2 (C 5 H 4 ) 2 }{Ir 2 (μ‐CHCH t Bu) 2 }] ( 1 ), a complex with an extremely short IrIr bond. Unusual are the + 2 oxidation state of the two Ir atoms, the bridging through three organic ligands, and the absence of terminal ligands. A similar structure to that of 1 , although without CH 2 bridges between the Cp rings, is shown on the right.