Ir(IV) Sulfoxide-Pincer Complexes by Three-Electron Oxidative Additions of Br and I. Unprecedented Trap-Free Reductive Elimination of I from a formal d Metal.

Oxidative addition of 1.5 equiv of bromine or iodine to a Ir(I) sulfoxide pincer complex affords the corresponding Ir(IV) tris-bromido or tris-iodido complexes, respectively. The unprecedented trap-free reductive elimination of iodine from the Ir(IV)-iodido complex is induced by coordination of ligands or donor solvents. In the case of added I, the isostructural tris-iodo Ir(III)-ate complex is quickly generated, which then can be readily reoxidized to the Ir(IV)-iodido complex with FcPF or electrochemically. DFT calculations indicate an "inverted ligand field" in the Ir(IV) complexes and favor dinuclear pathways for the reductive elimination of iodine from the formal d metal center.