The preparation of fluxional tetrahydrides, (R  H or Me) and their reactions with CO,ButNC or HBr

The cyclometallated monohydrides

(R  H or Me) react with NaOPrⁱ/PrⁱOH/H₂ to give fluxional tetrahydrides, probably

. These are highly fluxional having magnetically equivalent hydridic hydrogens, even at ---100°C. When treated with HBr,

, gives

and with CO it gives a mixture of complexes which are probably

(2 isomers) and

. When treated with Bu^tNC this tetrahydride undergoes similar reactions but another (major) product is formed which appears to be binuclear and fluxional and is probably of type

, with four bridging hydrogens.