Synlett 1997; 1997(3): 241-249
DOI: 10.1055/s-1997-756
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The Story of 1-Alkenyl Complexes of Early Transition Metals - A low Temperature Access to the versatile Titana-allene Building Block [Cp*2Ti=C=CH2]

R. Beckhaus* , J. Oster, J. Sang, I. Strauß, M. Wagner
  • *Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Technical University Aachen, Professor-Pirlet-Straße 1, D-52062 Aachen, Germany, Fax Int.+ 49 241 8888 288, e-mail: r.beckhaus@ac.rwth-aachen.de
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
31 December 2000 (online)

Different rotameres of 1-Alkenyl complexes of early transition metals lead to the selective formation of diene complexes, metalla-cyclopentenes or vinylidene intermediates. In such a way the titaniumvinylidene species [Cp*2Ti=C=CH2] (1) can easily be generated from methylenetitanacyclobutane Cp*2TiC(=CH2)CH2CH2 (2), obtained via a Cp*2Ti(CH=CH2)2 intermediate (3) in quantitative yield, or by a α-H-elimination of methane from the vinyl-methyl derivative, Cp*2Ti(CH=CH2)CH3 (4). The systems 2→1 or 4→1 can be used in a great number of different organometallic reactions. Of considerable interest are syntheses of cycloaddition products, by trapping 1 with cumulenes, transition metal carbonyls, nitriles, phosphaalkynes and alkynes. The obtained products are of high thermal stability due to the stabilization effect of the α-exo-methylene group, the formation of stronger Csp2-Csp2-bonds in the four membered rings and the lowered electrophilicity of the titanium center caused by the strongly basic Cp*-ligands. With oxygen containing cumulenes and heterocumulenes, monomeric metallaoxetanes exhibiting a planar ring geometry are obtained for the first time. Due to its reactivity in solution the metallaoxetanes can be divided in classical (forming Ti=O) and nonclassical oxetanes (forming Ti=C). Reactions of 1 with transition metal carbonyls lead to the formation of metallaoxetanes exhibiting a nonclassical behavior. These nonclassical oxetanes rearrange into five-membered cyclic Fischer-carbene complexes upon heating. Starting from cycloaddition products of 1 which exhibit titanacyclobutane or titanacylobutene structures, ring-enlargement reactions could be achieved by using carbon monoxide, nitriles or isonitriles. The formation of trans-polyacetylene is observed in reaction of 1 with an excess of acetylene. An intermolecular carbene-carbene coupling reaction of a Fischer- and a Schrock-carbene ligand by coupling the vinylidene fragment in 1 [Cp*2Ti=C=CH2] with the methoxyethylidene moiety of the chromium complex (CO)5Cr=C(OMe)Me is described. A stabilization of 1 is achieved by complexation with unsaturated copper and gold complexes, forming dinuclear σ,σ-μ-vinylidene complexes.