Evaluation of the Rh(II)-Rh(II) bond dissociation enthalpy for [(TMTAA)Rh]2 by 1H NMR T2 measurements: application in determining the Rh-C(O)- BDE in [(TMTAA)Rh]2C═O.

Toluene solutions of the rhodium(II) dimer of dibenzotetramethylaza[14]annulene ([(TMTAA)Rh]2; (1)) manifest an increase in the line widths for the singlet methine and methyl (1)H NMR resonances with increasing temperature that result from the rate of dissociation of the diamagnetic Rh(II)-Rh(II) bonded dimer (1) dissociating into paramagnetic Rh(II) monomers (TMTAA) Rh (2). Temperature dependence of the rates of Rh(II)-Rh(II) dissociation give the activation parameters for bond homolysis ΔH(‡)(app) = 24(1) kcal mol(-1) and ΔS(‡)(app) = 10 (1) cal K(-1) mol(-1) and an estimate for the Rh(II)-Rh(II) bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE) of 22 kcal mol(-1). Thermodynamic values for reaction of 1 with CO to form (TMTAA)Rh-C(O)-Rh(TMTAA) (3) ΔH1° = -14 (1) kcal mol(-1), ΔS1°= -30(3) cal K(-1) mol(-1)) were used in deriving a (TMTAA)Rh-C(O)- BDE of 53 kcal mol(-1).