Coordinated ligand, nucleophilic attack

Although deprotonation at the benzylic position of arenes coordinated to ruthenium and chromium was reported,27 in the case of the coordinated oxo-ri5-dienyl unit, nucleophilic attack at one terminus of the complexed r 5-dienyl ligand, rather than deprotonation, was expected.28 The reason for the successful deprotonation (even at relatively hindered isopropyl sites) is, according to the authors, the cationic nature of the Cp M fragment. In addition, the transition state for the deprotonation might involve stabilization by the metal (Scheme 3.15). 

Mononuclear acyl Co carbonyl complexes ROC(0)Co(CO)4 result from reaction of Co2(CO)8 with RO-.77 These also form via the carbonylation of the alkyl precursor. The ROC(0)Co(CO)4 species undergo a range of reactions, including CO ligand substitution (by phosphines, for example), decarbonylation to the alkyl species, isomerization, and reactions of the coordinated acyl group involving either nucleophilic attack at the C or electrophilic attack at the O atom. 

Numerous examples of nucleophilic attack on coordinated nitrile ligands are found in the literature, particularly when the transition metal is platinum(II).224 The nucleophilic attack of two equivalents of CIO I2CII20 on the electrophilic nitrile carbon atoms of both nitrile ligands in cis-or /r<7H.v-[PtC12(RCN)2] (R = Et, Prn, Pr1, Bu p-CF3C6H4, p- and o-MeC6H4) affords the corresponding A2-l,3-oxazoline complexes ((76) and (77), respectively), in which the heterocycle acts as a... 

J. E. Backvall, Nucleophilic Attack on Coordinated Alkenes , in Reaction of Coordinated Ligands (Ed. P. S. Braterman), Plenum Press, London 1986, pp. 679-731. 

Hydrolysis of coordinated ligands is a special case of nucleophilic attack. Two examples involving inorganic ligands have already been given in Section II. A on aquation of cobalt(III) complexes. Many further examples will be found in the following Section VII.B on catalysis of hydrolysis of organic substrates by metal ions and complexes. 

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