Stereochemistry and mechanisms of electrophilic cleavage reactions of cis-[threo-PhCHDCHD)Mn(CO)4PEt3]

Abstract

Cleavage reactions of the manganese–carbon bond of cis-[(threo-PhCHDCHD)Mn(CO)₄(PEt₃)](I) by halogens and mercury(II) halides proceed with both retention and inversion of configuration at the α-carbon atom, depending on the reagent used and the solvent conditions; the occurrence of competitive processes involving initial electrophilic attack at both the α-carbon and the metal atoms is inferred.