Reaction of 3,5-di(bromomethyl)nitrobenzene with di-t-butylphosphine and su
bsequent treatment with sodium acetate gives the novel functionalized P,C,P
pincer ligand 2. Heating an isopropanol/water solution of 2 with iridium(L
II)chloride results in the iridium hydrochloride complex 3. This complex wa
s characterized by X-ray structure analysis in the solid state, NMR spectro
scopy in solution, and density functional calculations in the gas phase. (C
) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.