Carbonylation and Valence Isomerization of 1,3-Dihomocubane Derivatives by Chlorodicarbonylrhodium Dimer

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00180a004

1,3-Dihomocubane and several analogous cage compounds react with Rh2(CO)4Cl2 to give dinuclear acyl-rhodium complexes.These complexes are transformed into dicyclopentadiene and/or D3-trihomocubanone derivatives either upon heating or by treatment with triphenylphosphine. 1,3-Ethanomethanocubane reacts analogously.The kinetics of these metal-induced transformations follow the second-order rate law.A linear relationship exists between the constants and the calculated strain energies of the starting cage compounds.