Metal carbonyl photochemistry. Part 3. Behaviour of [Mn(η-C5H5)-(CO)3] and related species at 77 K

Abstract

Photolysis of [Mn(cp)(CO)₃](cp =η-C₅H₅) in glasses at 77 K gives species [Mn(cp)(CO)₂], [Mn(cp)(CO)], and (in the presence of ethers)[Mn(cp)(CO)₂(ether)] and [Mn(cp)(CO)(ether)₂]; [Mn(mcp)(CO)₃] behaves similarly (mcp = methylcyclopentadienyl). Photolysis is slower than with the d⁶ hexacarbonyls, and the monoether complexes show conformational trapping. The broadly similar behaviour of [Cr(C₆H₆)(CO)₃], [Mn(cp)-(CO)₂(CS)], [Fe(cp)(CO)₂l], and [Mn{C₄(CF₃)₄S(C₆F₅)}(CO)₃] is briefly described.