Participation of neighbouring transition-metal in the nucleophilic C–Si cleavage of π-C5H5(CO)3MoCH2SiMe3: possible formation of an anionic transition-metal carbene intermediate

Abstract

The formation of π-C₅H₅(CO)₃M¹Me (M¹= Mo or W), under mild conditions from [π-C₅H₅(CO)₃M¹]^–Na⁺ and Me₃M²CH₂I (M²= Si or Sn), is shown to proceed via attack of [π-C₅H₅(CO)₃M¹]^– upon π-C₅H₅(CO)₃M¹CH₂M²Me₃; the effect of the transition-metal in labilising the C–M² bond is attributed to the stability of [π-C₅H₅(CO)₃M¹CH₂]^–.