Structures and Reactivity Patterns of Group 9 Metallocorroles

Group 9 metallocorroles 1-M(PPh_3) and 1-M(py)_2 [M = Co(III), Rh(III), Ir(III); 1 denotes the trianion of 5,10,15-tris-pentafluorophenylcorrole] have been fully characterized by structural, spectroscopic, and electrochemical methods. Crystal structure analyses reveal that average metal−N(pyrrole) bond lengths of the bis-pyridine metal(III) complexes increase from Co (1.886 Å) to Rh (1.957 Å)/Ir (1.963 Å); and the average metal−N(pyridine) bond lengths also increase from Co (1.995 Å) to Rh (2.065 Å)/Ir (2.059 Å). Ligand affinities for 1-M(PPh_3) axial coordination sites increase dramatically in the order 1-Co(PPh_3) < 1-Rh(PPh_3) < 1-Ir(PPh_3). There is a surprising invariance in the M(+/0) reduction potentials within the five- and six-coordinate corrole series, and even between them; the average M(+/0) potential of 1-M(PPh_3) is 0.78 V vs Ag/AgCl in CH_2Cl_2 solution, whereas that of 1-M(py)_2 is 0.70 V under the same conditions. Electronic structures of one-electron-oxidized 1-M(py)_2 complexes have been assigned by analysis of electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopic measurements: oxidation is corrole-centered for 1-Co(py)_2 (g = 2.008) and 1-Rh(py)_2 (g = 2.003), and metal-centered for 1-Ir(tma)_2 (g_(zz) = 2.489, g_(yy) = 2.010, g_(xx) = 1.884, g_(av) = 2.128) and 1-Ir(py)_2 (g_(zz) = 2.401, g_(yy) = 2.000, g_(xx) = 1.937, g_(av) = 2.113).