Structure and Reactivity of Trimethylsilylmethyl Complexes of Chromium, Including the 13-Electron Alkyl Cp*Cr(CH2SiMe3)2
摘要:
Alkylation of Cp*Cr(THF)Cl-2 with 1 or 2 equiv of LiCH2SiMe3 yielded the paramagnetic chromium alkyls [Cp*Cr(mu-Cl)(CH2SiMe3)](2) (1), Cp*Cr(CH2SiMe3)(2) (2), and Cp*Cr(L)(CH2SiMe3)(2) (3a, L = py; 3b, L = THF). Compound 2 isa coordinatively unsaturated, pseudo-five-coordinate Cr-III complex with a 13-electron configuration, and it catalyzes the polymerization of ethylene. The thermal decomposition of 2 in noncoordinating solvents proceeded via an intermediate, namely the bis(mu-alkylidene) complex [Cp*Cr(mu-CHSi(CH3)(3))](2) (4). Compound 4 suffered reductive elimination to yield the dinuclear Cr-II alkyl Cp*Cr-2(2)(mu-CH2Si(CH3)(2)CH2-mu-CHSi(CH3)(3)) (5). In contrast, the decomposition of 2 in THF, i.e., 3b, yielded the metallacycles Cp*Cr(L)(CH2)(2)Si(CH3)(3)) (6a, L = py; 6b, L = THF). Compounds 1, 2, 3b, 4, and 5 have been structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. The reactions of 2 are rationalized in terms of competing alpha- and gamma-hydrogen elimination processes yielding terminal alkylidene and metallacyclobutane intermediates existing in equilibrium.