Some reactions of metal atoms with arenes illustrating the importance of half sandwich molecules, M(arene), as reaction intermediates

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(94)05104-J

Reactions of chromium or molybdenum atoms with mixtures of bromobenzene and other arenes at -196 deg C have given several new sandwich compounds including and .The work has led to the development of a theory for the mechanism of reaction of metal atoms with arenes which focuses on the redox properties of the coordinatively unsaturated half sandwich intermediate M(arene).The theory is then applied to explain the results of other new and known metal atom-arene reactions.Keywords: Metal vapour synthesis; Arenes; Chromium; Molybdenum; Hexafluorobenzene; Bromobenzene;