Evidence of the base-promoted conversion of alkyl-substituted molybdneum and tungsten alkylidyne complexes into anionic vinylalkylidene species

Abstract

Addition of BuⁿLi-tetrahydrofuran or Et₂O to [M(CCH₂Bu^t){P(OMe)₃(η-C₅H₅)](M = Mo, W) affords the anionic species [M(CCHBu^t){P (OMe)₃}₂(η-C₅H₅)]Li, which on quenching with D₂O affords a mixture of [M(CCHDBu_t){P(OMe)₃)₂((η-C₅H₅)] and [M(CCD₂Bu^t)-{P(OMe)₃}₂(η-C₅H₅)].