Arenemetal complexes : VIII. Preparation of (η 8-alkenylbenzene)dicarbonylchromium complexes

Abstract

Several (η 8-alkenylbenzene)dicarbonylchromium complexes (arenechelate complexes) were prepared in fair yield by the photolysis in ether of the tricarbonylchromium complexes of benzonorbornadiene ( syn-isomer), dibenzobicyclo[2.2.2]octa-2,5,7-triene ( syn-isomer), 4-phenyl-1-butene, 4-phenyl-1-butene-4,4- d 2, 5-phenyl-1-pentene, allyl phenyl ether, and benzyl vinyl ether. All of these arenechelate complexes are relatively stable and their IR, NMR, and mass spectral data are presented. Photolysis of the tricarbonylchromium complexes of benzobicyclo[2.2.2]octa-2,5-diene ( syn-isomer), 1,4-dihydronaphthalene, 3-phenyl-1-propene, 6-phenyl-1-hexene, and benzyl acrylate lead to decomposition and no arenechelate complexes. It is concluded that this method of preparation of arenechelate complexes is fairly general but there are some limitations that are apparent from the tricarbonylchromium complexes studied which failed to produce arenechelate complexes.