Nitrenes, heterocyclic, ring-cleavage

The synthesis of metal-coordinated 1-azirines and the reactions of azirines induced by metals have opened a new area in the chemistry of this small ring heterocycle. Many of the reactions encountered bear resemblance to previously discussed thermally and photo-chemically induced reactions of 1-azirines. The reaction of a series of diiron enneacarbonyls in benzene results in coupling and insertion to give diimine complexes and ureadiiron complexes as well as pyrroles and ketones (76CC191). A mechanism for the formation of these products which involves initial 1,3-bond cleavage and generation of a nitrene-iron carbonyl complex as an intermediate was proposed. 

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