Metal alkene complexes preparation

Probably the first metal alkene complex was Zeise s salt, K[Pt(C2H4)Cl3] or the bridged compound [PtCl2(C2H4)]2. These compounds were first prepared by Zeise in about 1825. The palladium analogs of these compounds are also now known. A large number of metal alkene complexes are known, and some of the chemistry of these materials will be described here. 

A number of synthetic methods are useful for preparing metal alkene complexes. A few of the more general ones will be described here, but the suggested readings given at the end of the chapter should be consulted for more details. 

Since the early work dealing with Zeise s salt, many complexes have been prepared with the formula [PtL(C2H4)X2], where L = quinoline, pyridine, or ammonia and X=C1 , Br , I, or N()2. Similar compounds have been prepared that contain other alkenes than C2H4. Many of the complexes containing dienes, trienes, and tetraenes as ligands also contain carbonyl ligands. In fact, metal carbonyls are frequently starting complexes from which alkene complexes are obtained by substitution reactions. 

As representatives of this class of compounds, one hindered and one non-hindered gem-boriozirconocene alkene were prepared [54]. Hydrozirconation of a 1-alkynyldioxaborolane with Cp2Zr(H)Cl in either 1,4-dioxane or THF proceeded readily by a syn addition to give the essentially pure ( )-l,l-bis-metallic boriozirconocene 45 [12]. This bis-metallic complex 45 was also reacted with various electrophiles, thereby generating the alkenylboron derivatives 53—57 as shown in Scheme 7.17. 

In addition to catalytically active transition metal complexes, several stable, electrophilic carbene complexes have been prepared, which can be used to cyclopropanate alkenes (Figure 3.32). These complexes have to be used in stoichiometric quantities to achieve complete conversion of the substrate. Not surprisingly, this type of carbene complex has not attained such broad acceptance by organic chemists as have catalytic cyclopropanations. However, for certain applications the use of stoichiometric amounts of a transition metal carbene complex offers practical advantages such as mild reaction conditions or safer handling. 

The interaction of metal atoms with monoalkenes has been investigated on both a spectroscopic and preparative scale. It appears that the primary interaction between a metal atom and an alkene at low temperature is the formation of a ir-complex. This may subsequently lead to a thermally stable 7r-alkene complex or to rearrangement products by hydrogen abstraction or reaction with another alkene moiety, depending on the electronic requirements of the metal and the particular alkene considered. 

Grubbs [3] prepared high activity metathesis ruthenium metal carbene complexes, (IV), that were effective as depolymerization catalysts of unsaturated polymers and synthetic agents in preparing telechelic and alkene polymers. Other high activity metathesis ruthenium carbene metal complexes, (V), were prepared by Fogg [4]. 

Athough transition metal alkylidene complexes are successfully used for the alkenation of carbonyl compounds, various 1,1-bimetalloalkanes, often prepared by the hydrometal-lation of alkenyl organometallics, are also useful reagents for the alkenation of carbonyl compounds. 

The organometalhc chemistry of Ceo is dictated by its spherical geometry and localized polyalkene tt-electronic structure. All the derivatives reported to date are rf- complexes see Hapticity) in which the metal coordinates at a six-six ring fusion (formal double bond) no analogous jj" -diene or jj -friene complexes have been prepared to date see Alkene Complexes). The instability of these polyene complexes is postulated to be due to the curvature of the Ceo molecule and the corresponding divergence of the surface p-orbitals, which results in poor overlap with the metal orbitals. ... 

---