Chemistry of metal hydrides. VII. An iridium(III) carbonyl cation and the formation of iridium(III) hydridocarbonyls

IrCl3(PEt3)3 is readily converted to IrHCl2(CO)(PEt3)2 by treatment with carbon monoxide in hot acetone, ethanol, or 2-methoxyethanol. Perchlorate, tetrafluoroborate, and tetraphenylborate salts containing the [IrCl2(CO)(PEt3)3]+ cation have been prepared, but attempts to obtain salts containing the [IrHCl(CO)(PEt3)3]+ cation give only the neutral hydride, IrHCl2(CO)(PEt3)2. The reactions of [IrCl2(CO)(PEt3)3]+ with ethanol, water, lithium aluminum hydride, aqueous potassium chloride solution, and sodium alkoxides are described.