A number of novel (tricarbonyl)chromium complexes of heptalenes 10 ± 13, 16 ± 20 and 23 ± 25 have been prepared by reaction of the heptalenes with [Cr(CO) 3 L 3 ] (LNH 3 , Py; cf. Schemes 3 ± 6). Surprisingly, the offstate complexes 17 and 19, in which the Cr(CO) 3 group complexes on the diester ring, have been obtained with excellent regioselectivity. The directing effect of ester CO groups on the regioselectivity of the Cr(CO) 3 coordination to heptalene rings has been discussed. These complexes undergo thermal rearrangements via 1,2-intra-ring shift and inter-ring migration of the Cr(CO) 3 fragment to give the thermodynamically more stable on-state complexes 16 and 27, respectively (cf. Schemes 8 and 9). The analogous thermal behavior of other prepared complexes has also been investigated. A new procedure for the selective preparation of complexes 10 and 13, in which the Cr(CO) 3 group is coordinated to the phenyl ring of the styryl substituent has also been developed (Scheme 7). The attachment of the Cr(CO) 3 fragment to the phenyl group has a visible influence on the UV/VIS behavior of the on-state complexes 10 and 13a, as well as on the photochemical behavior of the DBS isomers 13a/13b (cf. Scheme 10).
Introduction. ± So far, quite little is known about metallocarbonyl complexes of heptalenes [1], mainly because of the difficulties associated with the synthesis of various substituted heptalenes and their relative instability (cf. [2] [3]). Nevertheless, a number of tricarbonylchromium complexes of heptalenes have been synthesized, and their dynamic behavior has been investigated (Scheme 1) [4].The following events have been established: 1) Two thermally inducible rearrangements proceed in mononuclear complexes 2a ± 2d and 5a ± 5d (Scheme 2): a) intra-ring 1,2-shift (IRS) of the Cr(CO) 3 group and b) inter-ring migration (IRM) of the Cr(CO) 3 group. Both migrations are accompanied by a cyclic CC-bond shift (DBS) at the heptalene skeleton. Direct transformations 2b to 2d, as well as 2a to 2c, without DBS has been excluded [4b]. The thermal inter-ring migration of the Cr(CO) 3 group within complex 5c to yield 5b has been the first example of an inter-ring haptotropic rearrangement in nonplanar complexes of bicyclic p-systems [4a].2) 1,2-Haptotropic shifts and the inter-ring haptotropic migrations of the Cr(CO) 3 group are intramolecular processes. Activation barriers for both processes are quite similar [4].3) The occupancy of all four peri-positions in complexes 5a ± 5d by Me groups leads to activation barriers close to those for purely thermal decomplexation reactions [4a].4) The thermodynamically most stable complex 2a carries the coordinating Cr(CO) 3 group at the seven-membered ring, which is substituted with three electrondonating Me groups [4b].