C-C alpha insertion: insertion of an alkyne into the C-C single bond between the carbene-carbon atom and the alpha-carbon atom of a Fischer carbene complex by an unprecedented metalla(di-pi-methane) skeletal rearrangement

The first examples of insertion of a C(triple bond)C bond of an alkyne into a C(carbene)-Calpha single bond of a carbene complex (C-Calpha insertion) are reported. (prim-Alkyl)carbene complexes (OC)(5)M=C(OEt)CH(2)R] (1 a-f; M=Cr, W; R=nPr, C(7)H(7), Ph) undergo C-Calpha insertion of electron-deficient alkynes PhC(triple bond)CC(XEt)NMe(2)]BF(4) (5 a,b; X=O, S) to give zwitterionic carbiminium carbonylmetalates 3 a-g, which are thermally transformed into (CO)(4)M chelate carbene complexes 4 a-g by elimination of CO. The overall reaction is highly regio- and stereoselective. It involves an unprecedented metalla(di-pi-methane) rearrangement as the key step.