THERMAL DECOMPOSITION OF η5-CYCLOPENTADIENYL-η2-PROPENEALKYLNICKEL COMPLEXES

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(85)88039-6

Thermolysis of compounds of the type CpNiR (η²-propene) (R=CH3 (1), CD3 (2), CH2CH3 (3), CH2CH2CH3 (4) and CH2SiMe3 (5)) was studied.The methyl complex 1 gives mainly methane, ethane and (CpNi)3CH.Toluene-d8 has no effect on the composition of the gaseous products and does not yield gases containing deuterium.In the CD3 complex 2 a H-D exchange reaction between the complexed propene and the CD3 group takes place.Decomposition of the trimethylsilylmethyl complex 5 gave tetramethylsilane.The complexes 3 and 4 containing a β-hydrogen atom, decompose via a β-elimination reaction giving the corresponding olefin.The unstable formed in the reaction reacts with giving the corresponding alkane and a mixture of non-isolated cyclopentadienylnickel clusters.The complexes studied undergo insertion of the coordinated olefin into the Ni-C ?-bond, which results in the formation of higher hydrocarbons.