The effects of phosphine ligands on the benzannulation reaction of molybdenum carbene complexes with alkynes

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0040-4039(95)01762-7

The effects of phosphine substitution at the metal on the reactions of group 6 pentacarbonyl Fischer carbene complexes with alkynes have been found not to be those expected from what is known about these reactions. The product distribution for the reaction of the molybdenum complex 5 with 3-hexyne changes dramatically from predominately indene product to predominately quinone product upon substitution of one of the CO ligands in 5a with a tri-n-butylphosphine.