Electron spin resonance investigation of the thermolysis, photolysis, and oxygenation of bi- and tri-metallic organochromium complexes

Abstract

Oxygenation of the products derived thermally (–70 °C) from [Cr₂(η⁵C₅H₅)₂(CO)₆] or photochemically from [{(η⁵-C₅H₅)Cr(CO)₃Cu(phen)}_n]; (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) and [Hg{Cr(η⁵-C₅H₅)(CO)₃}₂] gives rise to an e.s.r. signal assigned to [Cr(η₅-C₅H₅)(CO)_n(O₂)](n= 2 OR 3); evidence in support of this structure is adduced from experiments using the deuterium labelled complex [Hg{Cr(η⁵-C₅D₅)(CO)₃}₂] and by the use of ¹⁷O_2– enriched dioxygen.