The mechanism of metal-promoted 1,3-sulpur shifts involving the apparent insertion of carbon monoxide into a carbon–sulphur bond

Abstract

The isomerisation of the acyl chelate complex [[graphic omitted]R}(CO)₂(η-C₅H₅)] into [[graphic omitted]R}(CO)₂(η-C₅H₅)](R = Me or Prⁱ), which involves a 1,3 shift of the SR group, has been shown to proceed via the mercapto vinyl complex [W{σ-C(CO₂Me):C(CO₂Me)SR}(CO)₃(η-C₅H₅)], illustrating that the mechanism involves deinsertion of the acyl carbon monoxide followed by apparent insertion of co-ordinated CO into the C–S bond of the vinyl ligand.