Reactions of vanadocene with aliphatic halides

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(88)80156-6

Primary, secondary and tertiary aliphatic halides have been shown to react with vanadocene by oxidative addition to give (alkyl)(halogeno)vanadocenes.The primary product is stable if the alkyl group is methyl, but olefin and alkane are formed in the case of alkyl groups having hydrogen atoms on an sp³ carbon β to the halogen.In the reaction of vanadocene with isopropyl and t-butyl bromide a significant amount of molecular hydrogen is produced, and the percentage of alkane falls almost to zero in the case of t-butyl bromide.ESR evidence is presented for some of the V^IV intermediates.