Sequential reaction of [(CO)5M(THF)] (M = Cr
(1a), W (1b)) with
Li[C⋮CC(NMe2)3] and
BF3·OEt2 afforded the first
diaminoallenylidene complexes
[(CO)5MCCC(NMe2)2]
(M
= Cr (2a), W (2b)). These compounds are
inert toward nucleophilic attack of HNMe2 at
room temperature. 2b was characterized by an X-ray
structural analysis. Treatment of 1
with the cumulogous acetylide
Li[C⋮CC⋮CC(NMe2)3] and then
with BF3·OEt2 produced the
first group 6 pentatetraenylidene complexes,
[(CO)5MCCCCC(NMe2)2]
(M = Cr (3a),
W (3b)). The X-ray structural analysis of 3b
reveals a strong alternation of the CC bond
lengths within the (CO)5MC5 unit. Although
the compounds 3 are stable at room
temperature, they quantitatively add HNMe2 within 30 min to
give the alkenyl(amino)allenylidene complexes
[(CO)5MCCC(NMe2)C(H)C(NMe2)2]
(M = Cr (4a), W (4b)).
Complex 4b was characterized by an X-ray structural
analysis. 4b is the first example of
an open chain metal alkenylallenylidene with an s-cis
conformation. The complexes 4 are
comparable in stability and inertness toward nucleophiles such as
amines to the metal
diaminoallenylidenes 2. The spectroscopic data and the
X-ray structural analyses of 2b,
3b, and 4b indicate that these
heteroatom-substituted compounds are best described as
hybrids of metallacumulene and strongly polarized alkynyl structures.