C–H activation and nitrile insertion reactions of a cationic niobium alkylidene complex
Abstract
Oxidation of [Nb(η5-C5H4But)2(CH2Ph)2] yields the stable cationic benzylidene complex [Nb(η5-C5H4But)2(CHPh)(thf)]BPh4, which readily loses thf to form the C–H activation product [Nb(η5-C4H4But)(η5:η1-C5H4CMe2CH2)(η2–CH2Ph)]BPh4 and reacts with acetonitrile to give the double-insertion product [Nb(η5-C5H4But)2{η2-NC(Me)C(Ph)C(Me)NH}]BPh4.