Transfer hydrogenation of ketones catalyzed by new rhodium and iridium complexes of aminophosphine containing cyclohexyl moiety and photosensing behaviors of rhodium and iridium based devices

Abstract The reaction of [Rh( μ -Cl)(cod)] 2 and Ir( η 5 -C 5 Me 5 )( μ -Cl)Cl] 2 with aminophosphine ligands Cy 2 PNHCH 2 –C 4 H 3 X (X: O; S) gave a range of new monodendate [Rh(Cy 2 PNHCH 2 –C 4 H 3 O)(cod)Cl], ( 1 ), [Rh(Cy 2 PNHCH 2 –C 4 H 3 S)(cod)Cl], ( 2 ), [Ir(Cy 2 PNHCH 2 –C 4 H 3 O)( η 5 -C 5 Me 5 )Cl 2 ], ( 3 ) and [Ir(Cy 2 PNHCH 2 –C 4 H 3 S)( η 5 -C 5 Me 5 )Cl 2 ], ( 4 ) complexes, which were characterized by analytical and spectroscopic methods. The new rhodium(I) and iridium(III) catalysts were applied to transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone derivatives using 2-propanol as a hydrogen source. The results showed that the corresponding alcohols could be obtained with high activity (up to 99%) under mild conditions. Notably, [Rh(Cy 2 PNHCH 2 –C 4 H 3 O)(cod)Cl] complex ( 1 ) is much more active than the other analogous complexes in the transfer hydrogenation. Moreover, organic–inorganic rectifying contacts were fabricated forming rhodium(I) and iridium(III) complex thin films on n -Si semiconductors and evaporating Au metal on the structures. Electrical properties of the contacts including ideality factor, barrier height and series resistance were determined using their current–voltage ( I–V ) data. The photoelectrical characteristics of the devices were examined under the light with 40–100 mW/cm 2 illumination conditions. It was seen that light had strong effects on I–V characteristics of the devices and the ones fabricated using 3 and 4 complexes had unusually forward and reverse bias photoconducting behavior.