Tungsten arene

Molybdenum and tungsten atoms seem to react with alkylbenzenes more efficiently than chromium atoms yields of 30 to 50% are reported (113). Conventional routes to the synthesis of tungsten-arene complexes are difficult and inefficient so that the ability to prepare these compounds in high yield via tungsten atoms is of special significance. Unfortunately, tungsten has a very high vaporization temperature and the scale of work with its vapor is necessarily limited. 

Using an electron-gun source, tungsten atoms were reacted with benzene, toluene, or mesitylene at 77 K, to form the expected (arene)2W complex (42) in a yield of 30%, compared with the —2% yield from the previously published, bis(benzene)W synthesis (32). These arene complexes are reversibly protonated, to give the appropriate [(T7-arene)2WH] species. By using the same technique, the analogous, niobium complexes were isolated (43). 

A set of oxygen donor atoms, providing both a and tt donation to a metal center, is not appropriate to stabilize any low oxidation state of a metal.19 This is, however, a synthetic advantage since very reactive, unstable, low-valent metalla-calix[4]arenes can be generated in situ and intercepted by an appropriate substrate. In the absence of a suitable substrate, the reactive fragment, however, can collapse to form metal-metal bonded dimers. The formation of metal-metal bonds has been, however, so far observed in the case of Group V and VI metals only. The most complete sequence so far reported has been for tungsten, molybdenum, and niobium. 

An improved synthesis of 3,4-dihydro-2,l-benzothiazine 2,2-dioxide was reported by Togo and co-workers using photochemical conditions . Treatment of A-alkyl 2-(aryl)ethanesulfonamides 18 with (diacetoxyiodo)arenes under irradiation with a tungsten lamp at 20-30 °C afforded 2,1-benzothiazines 19 and 20. Chemical yields and selectivities were dependent upon the choice of solvents and the reactant s substituents 18 (Table 1). When THF and EtOH were used as solvents, the reactions failed to give the cyclized products, since their a-hydrogen was abstracted by the intermediate sulfonamidyl radical. Compound 20 was obtained as a major product when 1,2-dichloroethane was employed as a solvent. In contrast, in the case of EtOAc as solvent, compound 19 was obtained as the major product. 

Inter- and intramolecular (cyclometallation) reactions of this type have been ob-.served, for instance, with titanium [408,505,683-685], hafnium [411], tantalum [426,686,687], tungsten [418,542], and ruthenium complexes [688], Not only carbene complexes but also imido complexes L M=NR of, e.g., zirconium [689,690], vanadium [691], tantalum [692], or tungsten [693] undergo C-H insertion with unactivated alkanes and arenes. Some illustrative examples are sketched in Figure 3.37. No applications in organic synthesis have yet been found for these mechanistically interesting processes. 

Methyl benzoate, anisole, and diphenyl ether each give sandwich compounds with chromium vapor, although in rather low yield (32, 55, 110). Chromium appears to attack alkyl ethers and this deoxygenation probably competes with complexation with the aromatic oxygen compounds. No simple product has been isolated from chromium atoms and aniline, but bis(7V,7V-dimethylaniline)chromium has been prepared (32). The behavior of molybdenum and tungsten vapors closely resembles that of chromium in reactions with oxygen- and nitrogen-substituted arenes (113). 

Some examples have been reported of tethered r 6-arene complexes of molyb-denum(II) and tungsten(II) that incorporate oxygen as the auxiliary donor atom.37 40 Reaction of neat 2,6-diphenylphenol with [MH4(PMePh2)4] (M = Mo, W) at 150 °C gives the tethered hydrido(aryloxo)metal(II) complexes 30 and 31.36 A metal-hydride bond is probably first cleaved by the phenolic oxygen with loss of H2 coordination of the pendant arene then induces loss of another equivalent of H2. 

Bis(adamantylimido) compounds, with monomeric chromium(VI) complexes, 5, 348 Bis(alkene) complexes conjugated, Rh complexes, 7, 214 mononuclear Ru and Os compounds, 6, 401 -02 in Ru and Os half-sandwich rj6-arenes, 6, 538 with tungsten carbonyls and isocyanides, 5, 685 Bis(u-alkenylcyclopentadienyl) complexes, with Ti(II), 4, 254 Bis(alkoxide) nitrogen-donor complexes, with Zr(IV), 4, 805 Bis(alkoxide) titanium alkynes, in cross-coupling, 4, 276 Bis(alkoxo) complexes, with bis-Cp Ti(IV), 4, 588 Bis[alkoxy(alkylamino)carbene]gold complexes, preparation, 2, 288... 

Heterometal alkoxide precursors, for ceramics, 12, 60-61 Heterometal chalcogenides, synthesis, 12, 62 Heterometal cubanes, as metal-organic precursor, 12, 39 Heterometallic alkenes, with platinum, 8, 639 Heterometallic alkynes, with platinum, models, 8, 650 Heterometallic clusters as heterogeneous catalyst precursors, 12, 767 in homogeneous catalysis, 12, 761 with Ni—M and Ni-C cr-bonded complexes, 8, 115 Heterometallic complexes with arene chromium carbonyls, 5, 259 bridged chromium isonitriles, 5, 274 with cyclopentadienyl hydride niobium moieties, 5, 72 with ruthenium—osmium, overview, 6, 1045—1116 with tungsten carbonyls, 5, 702 Heterometallic dimers, palladium complexes, 8, 210 Heterometallic iron-containing compounds cluster compounds, 6, 331 dinuclear compounds, 6, 319 overview, 6, 319-352... 

The tungsten(II) carbonyl complex (CO)4W(/u.-Cl)3W(SnCl3)(CO)3 has been identified as a very effective catalyst for the hydroarylation of norbornene conducted in arene solution at room temperature. Norbornene adducts with benzene, toluene, p-xylene, and mesitylene have been isolated. On the basis of XH NMR monitoring of several catalytic reactions, a possible mechanism, involving coordination of norbornene to the W(II) atom and its activation, has been proposed.123... 

VIII. Arene Halocarbonyl Complexes of Molybdenum(II) and Tungsten(II) 103... 

Section VII describes Cp and related V-ligand halocarbonyl complexes, and Section VIII is concerned with the little-studied Tj6-arene halocarbonyl complexes. Finally, Section IX briefly discusses the halocarbonyl complexes of molybdenum(II) and tungsten(II) containing V-cycloheptatrienyl as a ligand. As Green and Ng9 have reviewed cycloheptatrienyl and -enyl complexes of the early transition metals, only one reference in this area is given. 

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