ORGANOCOBALT CLUSTER COMPLEXES XXXI. THE REACTIONS OF BROMO- AND CHLORO-METHYLIDYNETRICOBALT NONACARBONYL WITH THIOLS AND LITHIUM THIOLATES

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0022-328X(00)90538-2

The action of alkanethiols on bromomethylidynetricobalt nonacarbonyl in the presence of triethylamine gives thioesters, RSC(O)CCo3(CO)9, as principal products, but arenethiols react to give tars.A more useful reaction is that between arenethiols and ClCCo3(CO)9, which gives ArSCCo3(CO)9 complexes as the principal products.The action of lithium alkane- and arenethiolates on BrCCo3(CO)9 in hydrocarbon medium lead to formation of thioesters, but in the presence of triethylamine or in diethyl ether solution complexes of type Co3(CO)4(SR)5 are formed instead.Possible mechanisms of these reactions are discussed.