Carbene complexes configuration

Retention of configuration may be used for the synthesis of the intramolecular carbene complexes [87J0M(336)C1]. Methyl- or phenyllithium or di-... 

The use of a stereogenic carbon centre allowed an efficient asymmetric induction in the benzannulation reaction towards axial-chiral intermediates in the synthesis of configurationally stable ring-C-functionalised derivatives of al-locolchicinoids [51]. The benzannulation of carbene complex 52 with 1-pen-tyne followed by oxidative demetalation afforded a single diastereomer 53 (Scheme 33). 

Although transition metal alkylidene complexes, i.e., carbene complexes containing only hydrogen or carbon-based substituents, were first recognized over 15 years ago, it is only relatively recently that Ru, Os, and Ir alkylidene complexes have been characterized. Neutral and cationic complexes of these Group 8 metals are known for both metal electron configurations d8 and d6. The synthesis, structural properties, and reactivity of these compounds are discussed in this section. 

Thermolysis of (cycloheptatrienylmethyl)carbene complexes 554 [toluene, 1-2 h, 80-100°C MLn = Cr(CO)5, W(CO)5] affords an equilibrium mixture of 4,5-homotropilidenes 555 and 556. According to the NMR data and the results of AMI calculations, the formation of isomer 556 (equation 218) is strongly favored277. This course of events was called intramolecular cyclopropanation , and it was shown that the equilibrium between the 4,5-homotropilidene complexes is significantly different from that of the metal-free ligands. By reaction of the latter (555 and 556) with bis(ethylene)rhodium 1,3-pentanedionate 557, the complexes 558 and 559 of both 4,5-homotropilidenes were obtained in a 1 3 ratio. These complexes are non-fluxional and are configurationally stable at room temperature (equation 219)277. 

As early as in 1973 it was shown [1089] that the C-H insertion of acceptor-substituted carbene complexes can take place with retention of configuration (e.g. Table 4.5, Entry 3) [953,1090,1091]. In the case of intramolecular C-H insertions into methylene groups high diastereoselectivities are often observed when 4-6-membered rings are formed (see examples in Tables 4.4-4.S). 

Experimental results [1361] and theoretical treatment [28] indicate that the cyclo-propanation of alkenes by electrophilic carbene complexes is a concerted process. Z-Olefins normally lead to the formation of the corresponding c7. -cyclopropanes, and -olefins yield fran -cyclopropanes. The relative configuration of the carbene-bound substituent and the substituents of the alkene in the final cyclopropane seems to be mainly determined by the steric bulk of these groups. In cyclopropanations of terminal alkenes with ethyl diazoacetate low diastereoselectivities are often observed [1024,1351]. These can be improved by increasing the steric demand of the substituents at the carbene or at the alkene [1033,1362]. High diastereoselectivities can, e.g., often be achieved with terf-butyl, neopentyl or 2,6-di(rerr-butyl)phenyl diazoacetate [1362] as carbene complex precursors (Figure 4.19). 

Scheme 41 shows a striking stereospecificity in coupling of a metal-complexed carbene species (67). Crossover experiments using the enantiomerically configured Re-carbene complexes revealed that the reaction proceeds through strict self-recognition of the enantiomers to form only homochiral coupling products. 

We have already established that the carbene carbon is an electrophilic center and, hence, it should be very easily attacked by nucleophiles. In most reactions we believe that the first reaction step probably involves attachment of a nucleophile to the carbene carbon. In some cases, for instance with several phosphines (49) and tertiary amines (50), such addition products are isolable analytically pure under certain conditions (1 in Fig. 3). For the second step there exists the possibility that the nucleophilic agent may substitute a carbon monoxide in the complex with preservation of the carbene ligand (2 in Fig. 3). One can also very formally think of the carbene complex as an ester type of system [X=C(R )OR with X = M(CO)j instead of X = 0], because the oxygen atom as well as the metal atom in the M (CO) 6 residue are each missing 2 electrons for attainment of an inert gas configuration. So, it is not surprising that the... 

Apart from this feature there are many similarities between ylides and carbene complexes, primarily among the structural criteria. The carbene carbon may be, but not necessarily, in a planar configuration, and the M—C bonding indicates some multiple bonding character just as in most of the ylides. On the other hand, carbene transfer reactions have been observed with ylides [e.g., Eq. (36)3, indicating that the carbene complex formalism can, indeed, be successfully applied with ylides. There is hope, therefore, for a fruitful symbiosis of ylide and carbene complex chemistry, which may soon become complementary as more data become available from this new area of transition metal chemistry. 

Early metal complexes often avoid the 18e configuration - Me3TaCl2 is ostensibly lOe, for example. This can provide coordinative unsaturation at the metal Schrock carbene complexes with <18e commonly have agostic C H bonds see Alkane Carbon-Hydrogen Bond Activation, Dihydrogen Complexes Related Sigma Complexes). When... 

By reaction of cationic carbonyl complexes with lithium carbanions, neutral acyl complexes are prepared. Whereas treatment of [> -CpFe(CO)3]BF4 with (a) PhLi gives the expected > -CpFe(CO)2 [C(0)Ph] in 80% yield, with (b) MeLi only traces of > -CpFe(CO)2 [C(0)Me] can be detected . This complex and other phosphane-substituted acyl compounds of the type f -CpM(CO)L[C(0)Me] [M = Fe, Ru L = CO, PPh3, P(hex)j], as well as >/ -CpMo(CO)2P(hex)3[C(0)Me] (prepared by different routes), are protonated with and alkylated with [R3 0]BF4 reversibly, yielding cationic hydroxy- and alkoxy(methyl)carbene complexes, respectively . The formation of the ( + )- and ( —)-acetyl complex / -CpFe(C0)(PPh3)[C(0)Me] from the ( + )-and ( —)-conformers of optically active > -CpFe(C0XPPh3)[C(0)0-menthyl] and MeLi occurs with inversion of configuration at the asymmetric iron atom . 

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