Reactions of tungsten and molybdenum propargyl complexes with Co2(CO)8, Co4(CO)12, and Cp2Mo2(CO)4. A crossover study of formation of (CO)3Cp(CO)2

The nature of the protonation reaction of (

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o(CO)₃ (M = Mo, W; R = Me, Ph, p-MeC₆H₄) (2) (obtained from (CO)₃CpMCH₂CCR (1) and Co₂(CO)₈) to give (CO)₃Cp(CO)₂ (3) was further investigated by a crossover experiment. Thus, reaction of an equimolar mixture of 2b (M = W, Cp = η⁵-C₅H₅, R = Ph) and 2e (M = W, Cp = η⁵-C₅H₄Me; R = p-MeC₆H₄) with CF₃COOH affords only 3b (same M, Cp, and R as 2b) and 3e (same M, Cp, and R as 2e) to show an intramolecular nature of this transformation. Reaction of (CO)₃CpWCH₂CCPh (1b) with Co₄(CO)₁₂ was also examined and found to yield 2b exclusively. Treatment of 1 with Cp₂Mo₂(CO)₄ at 0–5°C provides thermally sensitive compounds, possibly (CO)₂Cp

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oCp(CO)₂ (5), which decompose at room temperature to give Cp₂Mo₂(CO)₆ as the only isolated product.