Carbon–sulfur bond activation of thiophenes by [W(NPh){o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4}(pyridine)2]Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: experimental section, proton NMR spectra for 2, 3 and 5a,b and crystallography. See http://www.rsc.org/suppdata/cc/b1/b101955b/

Abstract

Addition of thiophene, 2-methylthiophene, benzothiophene or 3-methylthiophene to [W(NPh){o-(Me₃SiN)₂C₆H ₄}(C₅H₅N)₂] 1 affords the metallathiacycle complexes [{o-(Me₃SiN)₂C₆H₄ }(NPh)W(SC₄H₄)] 2, [{o-(Me₃SiN)₂C₆H₄ }(NPh)W(SC₅H₆)] 3, [{o-(Me₃SiN)₂C₆H₄ }(NPh)W(SC₈H₆)] 4 and [{o-(Me₃SiN)₂C₆H₄ }(NPh)W(SC₅H₆)] 5a and 5b, providing the first example of thiophene C–S bond activation by a W(IV) metal complex.