The chemistry of metal carbonyl anions : III. Sodium-potassium alloy: An efficient reagent for the production of metal carbonyl anions

Reduction of several metal carbonyl dimers including Mn₂](CO)₁₀, C₅H₅Fe(C0)₂]₂, Co₂(CO)₈, and C₅H₅M(CO)₃]₂ (M = Cr, Mo and W) by sodium—potassium alloy (NaK) in tetrahydrofuran at room temperature provides a rapid and clean method for the production of the corresponding metal carbonyl anions in high yield. Isolation and characterization of n-Bu₄N] Fe(CO)₂C₅H₅] from the iron dimer reduction is described. Reductions of other carbonyls including M(CO)₆ (M = Cr, Mo and W) and Re₂(CO)₁₀ proceed more slowly than previously established methods and provide principally M₂(CO)₁₀^2? and Re(CO)₅₅^?. Methods for the preparation of Re(CO)₅^? are critically considered. The reaction of NaK with C₅H₅NiCO]₂ is discussed in relation to previously reported results. Infrared solution spectra of a number of carbonyl anions in THF, obtained in a special infrared solution cell, are reported.