Kinetic investigation of the mixed-metal bimolecular reductive eliminations in the reactions of EtOC(O)CH2M(CO)n or EtOC(O)M(CO)n (M = Co, n = 4; M = Mn, n = 5) with HCo(CO)4 or HMn(CO)5

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/om00127a007

The alkyl- and acylmetal carbonyls EtOC(O)CH₂M(CO)_n and EtOC(O)M(CO)_n (M = Co, n = 4; M = Mn, n = 5) react with HCo(CO)₄ or HMn(CO)₅ to yield ethyl acetate or ethyl formate and the corresponding binuclear metal carbonyl. Kinetic experiments support a mechanism according to which the reaction between a coordinatively unsaturated alkyl- or acylmetal carbonyl (formed by CO loss) and the metal carbonyl hydride is rate determining. The rate of this bimolecular reductive elimination step varies strongly and unexpectedly in the mixed-metal systems.