Room-temperature activation of aliphatic C–H bonds in cyclohexane and pentane by the system [Os3(CO)11(NCMe)]–Te(CF3)2: X-ray crystal structure of [Os3(CO)11{Te(C6H11)2}]

Abstract

The reaction of [Os₃(CO)₁₁(NCMe)] with bis(trifluoromethyl)telluride, Te(CF₃)₂, in cyclohexane yields the cluster [Os₃(CO)₁₁{Te(C₆H₁₁)₂}]2 in which the CF₃ substituents at the tellurium are replaced by two cyclohexyl substituents; the isolation of the intermediate [Os₃(CO)₁₁{Te(CF₃)(C₆H₁₁)}]1 in the dark reveals that the first C–H activation of the cyclohexane is a thermal process, whereas the second C–H activation requires sunlight.