FLUORO-LIGAND PROMOTION OF C-H ACTIVATION

Ethylene dehydrogenates Ir(H)2FL2 (L = PtBu2Ph) to give the metalated species 1 and 2. These metalated species catalyze the exchange of deuterium from C6D6 to ethylene, and to tBu and ortho phenyl sites of coordinated L. This exchange is proposed to benefit from π-donation from F to Ir.