Vinylidene, allenylidene, cyclic oxycarbene, and η2-alkyne complexes from reactions of (η5-C5Me5)OsCl(PPh3)2 with alkynes and alkynols

Reactions of Cp*OsCl(PPh3)2 (Cp* = pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) with alkynes and alkynols are described. Treatment of Cp*OsCl(PPh3)2 with phenylacetylene and trimethylsilylacetylene gave the vinylidene complexes Cp*OsCl(=C=CHPh)(PPh3) and Cp*OsCl(=C=CH2)(PPh3), respectively. Treatment of Cp*OsCl(PPh3)2 with the internal alkyne dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate produced the η2-alkyne complex Cp*OsCl(η2-MeO2C≡CCO2Me)(PPh3). Treatment of Cp*OsCl(PPh3)2 with the propargylic alcohol HC≡CC(OH)Ph2 gave the osmium allenylidene complex Cp*OsCl(=C = C=CPh2)(PPh3). The outcomes of the reactions of Cp*OsCl(PPh3)2 with ω-alkynols HC≡C(CH2)nOH are dependent on the length of the -(CH2)n- linker. The reaction with 3-butyn-1-ol produced the cyclic oxycarbene complex Cp*OsCl{=C(CH2)3O}(PPh3) exclusively. The reactions with 4-pentyn-1-ol produced a mixture of the hydroxyalkyl vinylidene complex Cp*OsCl{=C=CH(CH2)3OH}(PPh3) and the cyclic oxycarbene complex Cp*OsCl{=C(CH2)4O}(PPh3) in about 10:1 molar ratio. The reaction with 5-hexyn-1-ol gave exclusively the hydroxyalkyl vinylidene complex Cp*OsCl{=C=CH(CH2)4OH}(PPh3).

Decarboxylative Propargylation/Hydroamination/Aromatization Enabled by Copper/ Amine Cooperative Catalysis: Construction of Cyclopenta[b]indole Derivatives

An efficient decarboxylative cycloaddition of 2,3-dioxopyrrolidines and ethynyl benzoxazinanones has been established by cooperative copper/amine catalysis. A copper– allenylidene complex and enolate intermediate, each catalytically generated from distinct substrates, underwent a cascade propargylation/hydroamination/aromatization process to construct a big library of cyclopenta[b]indole derivatives with good to excellent yields and excellent diastereoselectivity.

Hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene decorated with an allenylidene ruthenium complex – almost a flyswatter

A ruthenium allenylidene complex bearing a hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene (HBC) substituent was synthesised, resembling yet another strategy to decorate HBCs with transition metal fragments.

Synthesis and reactivity of an anionic allenylidene complex

The reaction of [W(CCCSiMe3)(CO)2(Tp*)] (Tp* = hydrotris(dimethylpyrazolyl)borate) with MeLi generates the first example of an anionic allenylidene complex Li[W(CCCMeSiMe3)(CO)2(Tp*)] which reacts with electrophiles (H+, Me+) at the β-carbon to afford vinylcarbyne complexes and with bromine via oxidative C–C coupling at the β-carbon.