Molybdenum complexes conformation

Simple 1,3-dienes also undergo a thermal monocyclopropanation reaction with methoxy(alkyl)- and methoxy(aryl)carbene complexes of molybdenum and chromium [27]. The most complete study was carried out by Harvey and Lund and they showed that this process occurs with high levels of both regio-and diastereoselectivity. The chemical yield is significantly higher with molybdenum complexes [27a] (Scheme 7). Tri- and tetrasubstituted 1,3-dienes and 3-methylenecyclohexene (diene locked in an s-trans conformation) fail to react [28]. The monocyclopropanation of electronically neutral 1,3-dienes with non-heteroatom-stabilised carbene complexes has also been described [29]. 

Most preparations of the intermediate racemic 3-allyl(dicarhonyl)cyclopentadieny molybdenum complexes7 2 start from sodium or potassium tricarbonyl(cyclopentadienyl)molybdate8 9 10 (4) for a simple preparation see ref 11, p 493. The allylation of 4 hy homoallylic halides, such as 4-hromo-l-butene, is accompanied by rearrangement and decarhonylationI2. (Z)-if-2-butenyl(dicarbonyl)cyclopentadienylmolybdenum (5), like other comparable complexes, exists as a mixture of endo/exo- conformers, which interconvert rapidly at room temperature12. 

The molybdenum-acyl enolate 4 has been characterized spectroscopically by NMR and has been reported to exist as a single (observable) isomer88. Extended Hiickel calculations on model complexes suggest that a conformation similar to A is most favorable for enolates such as 488. The deprotonated di-hapto acyl ligand may also be described as a 2-(C,0)-ketene ligand both the ketene and enolate terminology appear in the literature. 

---