Halogen cleavage reactions of cis-(threo-PhCHDCHD)Mn(CO)4PEt3

Halogen cleavage reactions of $\text{cis}$-($\text{threo}$-PhCHDCHD)Mn(CO)₄, PEt₃ ($\text{3}$) are studied in detail and are found to proceed either predominantly with retention or inversion, or non-stereospecifically, depending on reaction conditions. Reaction mechanisms involving S_E2 (inversion), S_E2 (retention) and S_E (oxidative) processes are proposed, demonstrating that halogen cleavage reactions of $\text{3}$ straddle the mechanistic borderline between electrophilic substitution and oxidation processes of transition metal alkyl compounds.