FORMATION OF CARBENE SPECIES IN THE REACTION OF LITHIUM ALKYLS WITH MOLYBDENUM, TUNGSTEN, AND COBALT CHLORIDES

Article abstract of DOI:10.1007/BF00863939

Ethyl derivatives of Mo and W and amyl derivatives of Mo undergo not only β-cleavage with the formation of equimolar amounts of the corresponding alkane and alkene but also α-cleavage accompanied by the generation of carbene species (methyl- and butylcarbenes) in these systems.The latter decomposition pathway is also proposed for ethyl and amyl cobalt derivatives. Keywords: molybdenum alkyls, tungsten alkyls, cobalt alkyls, thermal decomposition, carbenes, metathesis.