Functionalization s. β-elimination in alkaneactivation: a key role for 16-electron ML5 intermediates

Abstract

The structural preferences in the intermediate ML₅ d⁶ alkyls are proposed to help determine the reactivity difference between Shilov systems, which convert R–H to R–X ia reductive elimination, and alkane dehydrogenation catalysis, where R–H is converted to the alkene, ia β-elimination of an R–M intermediate.