Formaldehyde → Tris (Trimethylsilylethyl Diphenyl Phosphine) Rhodium Carbonyl Hydride

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a vigorously stirred, refluxing, nitrogenated solution of 11.44 g (40 mmole) of tris-(trimethylsilylethyl) diphenyl phosphine of Example 1 in 400 ml of ethanol, a hot solution of 1.04 g (0.4 mmole) of rhodium trichloride trihydrate in 80 ml ethanol was added at once. After a delay of 15 seconds, 40 ml warm aqueous (37%) formaldehyde solution and, immediately thereafter, 80 ml hot ethanolic solution of 3.2 g of potassium hydroxide were added. The resulting clear orange liquid reaction mixture was refluxed for 10 minutes. During the heating, the color changed to deep orange.

Provenance & Evidence