REDUCTIONS OF METAL CARBONYLS BY QUATERNARY AMMONIUM BOROHYDRIDES

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0022-328X(00)81005-0

Quaternary ammonium borohydrides, used directly or generated in phase transfer reactions, are highly effective reagents for preparing metal carbonyl anions from metal carbonyls 5-C5H5)2Mo2(CO)6> and from some metal carbonyl halides 5-C5H5Mo(CO)3Cl>.Where strongly basic anions would be fromed from a halide 5-C5H5Ru(CO)2Br>, the reactions provide efficient syntheses of the corresponding hydrides instead.The anion η⁵-C5H5Fe(CO)2^- is not accessible bythese techniques; reaction of η⁵-C5H5Fe(CO)2Br yields the iron dimer (via the highly nucleophilic anion) and the dimer is unreactive toward Q⁺BH4^-.Reductions of Re2(CO)10 conducted in CH2Cl2 provide Re2(CO)9Cl^- in high yield.