Metal-alkylidyne complex

Since the Schrock carbyne is active in the transalkylidynation reaction, the possibility of ring-opening polymerisation of cycloalkynes by acetylene transalkylidynation catalysts (metal alkylidyne complexes) has been evaluated [151]. Unfortunately, cyclooctyne is one of the few relatively stable strained cyclic acetylenes, but it is not strained enough to react selectively with the catalyst and yield a polymer according to the scheme... 

Metal alkylidyne complexes undergo a variety of oxidation and reduction reactions as well as redox-induced transformations of the alkylidyne ligands. A method for the direct transformation of Fischer-type carbyne complexes into Schrock-type alkylidyne complexes was developed in our laboratory. Bromine oxidation of the /ra/7, -carbyne bromo tetracarbonyl complexes 49 of molybdenum and tungsten in the presence of dimethox-yethane affords the dme-stabilized alkylidyne tribromo metal complexes 50 [Eq. (42)] (81). For alkyl-substituted complexes (R = Me, CH2CMe3)... 

The metathesis of alkynes by metal alkylidyne complexes is now a well-established process. The reaction is useful for the catalytic metathesis of alkynes as well as for the synthesis of new metal alkylidyne complexes. The general electronic and steric factors favoring the metathesis reaction were discussed in recent reviews by Schrock (6,7). 

FIGURE 13. Dimetallacyclopropene complexes obtained in the addition of gold(I) fragments to metal alkylidyne complexes... 

The metal-alkylidyne complex TpW( = CMe)(CO)2 reacts with Cp2Mo2(CO)4 or Mo(CO)3(NCMe)3 to afford the trimetal complexes Cp2TpMo2W(/t3-CMe)(CO)6 and Tp2MoW2(ia-CMe)2(ia-CO)2(CO)4, respectively (Scheme 75)." In the latter complex, one of the terminal carbonyl ligands of each tungsten centre is f/ -bound to the central molybdenum atom. 

In Section 24.12, we introduced alkene (olefin) metathesis, i.e. metal-catalysed reactions in which C=C bonds are redistributed. The importance of alkene and alkyne metathesis was recognized by the award of the 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Yves Chauvin, Robert H. Grubbs and Richard R. Schrock for the development of the metathesis method in organic synthesis . Examples of alkene metathesis are shown in Figure 27.3. The Chauvin mechanism for metal-catalysed alkene metathesis involves a metal alkyli-dene species and a series of [2 + 2]-cycloadditions and cycloreversions (Figure 27.4). Scheme 27.6 shows the mechanism for alkyne metathesis which involves a high oxidation state metal alkylidyne complex, L M=CR. 

Despite their obvious similarity to alkenes and alkynes, transition-metal alkylidene and alkylidyne complexes have not been used as building blocks for the synthesis of lowdimensional materials analogous to polyenes and polyynes. We have begun to explore the syntheses, structures, and properties of conjugated complexes and polymers derived from metal-alkylidyne complexes as part of our effort to develop the chemistry of transition-metal analogues of conjugated organic compounds. 

Katz and coworkers [73] proposed the currently accepted mechanism for the alkyne metathesis reaction (Scheme 6.18b). In their proposal, the incoming alkyne reacts with a metal alkylidyne complex (56), generating a metallacyclobutadiene intermediate (57) that generates the expected products and a new alkylidyne species (58) through cycloreversion. The reaction of a second alkyne with the... 

Early transition metal, lanthanide and actinide alkoxy and amido complexes are common, and they often are stable because of the interaction between the filled p orbital of the O or N atom of the ligand and an empty d metal orbital. The alkoxy and aryloxy ligands play a crucial role in the catalytic properties of group 5-7 metal-alkylidene and metal-alkylidyne complexes for the metathesis of simple, double and triple bonds. - On the other hand, the behavior of late transition-metal alkoxy and amido complexes is less known. Many of them are stable, however, in spite of the possible repulsion between the filled d orbital and the p orbital of the heteroatom. The metal-heteroatom bonds are robust, and the main characteristic of these is that they are strongly polar and possess a significant ionic character. They exhibit nucleophilic reactivity and sometimes form strong bonds to proton donors (they even deprotonate relatively weak acids). 

Alkyne polymerization can be initiated by metal-alkylidenes or metal-alkylidyne complexes. The mechanism involves metallacyclobutene or metallacyclobutadiene key intermediates, in the same way as alkene metathesis and ROM involve metal-lacyclobutane intermediates Katz mechanism, bottom of this page, an extension of the hauvin mechanism for alkyne metathesis. For instance, Schrock s catalyst W - u O - u 3, shown in section. as catalyst of disynunetrical alkyne metathesis, also initiates the polymerization of acetylene and terminal alkynes rather than metathesizing them. Indeed, the molecules of terminal alkynes successively insert into the W- bond of the metallacyclobutadiene intermediate... 

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