A novel intramolecular metallacycle-phosphine reaction of an electrochemically oxidized cobaltacyclopentadiene complex

Abstract

A ferrocene-substituted cobaltacyclopentadiene complex, C₅H₅(PPh₃)[C[graphic omitted]H](1, Fc = ferrocenyl) undergoes quasi–reversible two-step one-electron oxidation reactions in 0.1 mol dm^–3 Bu₄NClO₄–CH₂Cl₂ at room temperature, while irreversible two-electro oxidation (ECE reaction) of C₅H₅(PPh₃)[C[graphic omitted]Fc]2 causes intramolecular addition of PPh₃ fragments to the buta-1,3-dienediyl moiety, affording PhCFcCH–CHCFcPOPh₂7 and PhCFcCH–CFcCHPPh₂8.