Iron in the service of chromium: the ortho-benzannulation of trans,trans-dienyl Fischer carbene complexes.

ABSTRACT: Chromium Fischer carbene complexes with trans,trans-dienyl substituents on the carbene carbon will react with diiron nonacarbonyl to give 2-alkoxycyclohexa-2,4-dienone iron tricarbonyl complexes and/or 2-alkoxyphenols in excellent yields. In the presence of silica gel or base, the cyclohexadienone complex will suffer loss of the iron and aromatization to give 2-alkoxyphenols. The formation of 2-alkoxyphenols from dienyl chromium carbene complexes is a known process (ortho-benzannulation) that only occurs with certain cis,trans-dienyl complexes. Control experiments show that trans,trans-dienyl chromium carbene complexes do not undergo conversion to 2-alkoxyphenols in the absence of an iron source. The process most likely occurs either via coordination of the dienyl unit in the chromium carb

SUBMITTER: Lian Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2535899 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature