Two Alternative Routes for the Migratory Insertion of a Carbene Ligand into a C−H Bond

Reaction of [(η5-C5H5)Rh(CPh2)(PiPr3)] (2) with either PF3 or HX (X = Cl, CF3CO2) leads to a migratory insertion of the carbene ligand into one of the C−H bonds of the cyclopentadienyl ring. The X-ray crystal structures of [(η5-C5H4CHPh2)Rh(PF3)(PiPr3)] (5) and [(η5-C5H4CHPh2)RhCl2(PiPr3)] (7a) have been determined.