Metal- ligand-centered reactivity of a cobalt-phenylenediamide complex with electrophiles.

A new series of [Co-CF] complexes supported by a bidentate redox-active ligand is presented. The cationic [Co-CF] complex was first obtained by reacting [CpCo(opda)] (Cp = cyclopentadienyl, opda = -phenylenediamide) with an electrophilic trifluoromethyl source, for which the redox-active phenylenediamide ligand serves as a 2e reservoir to generate [CpCp(bqdi)(CF)] (bqdi = benzoquinonediimine). Electrochemical studies of [Co-CF] revealed two reversible 1e reductions.