Formation of a cationic alkylidene complex via formal hydride abstraction: synthesis and structural characterization of [W(PMe3)4(η2-CHPMe2)H]X (X = Br, I)

Abstract

W(PMe(3))(4)(η(2)-CH(2)PMe(2))H reacts with aryl halides to give the alkylidene complex, [W(PMe(3))(4)(η(2)-CHPMe(2))H](+), which reacts with LiAlD(4) to give selectively W(PMe(3))(4)(η(2)-CHDPMe(2))H, in which the deuterium resides in the methylene group; subsequent migration of deuterium from the methylene group provides a means to measure the rate constant for the formation of the 16-electron species [W(PMe(3))(5)] from W(PMe(3))(4)(η(2)-CH(2)PMe(2))H.