title: C-D(0) (D(0) = pi-donor, F) Cleavage in H(2)C=CH(D(0)) by (Cp(2)ZrHCl)(n): mechanism, agostic fluorines, and a carbene of Zr(IV).
abstract: Consistent with the C-O cleavage behavior of vinyl ethers, vinyl fluoride reacts with Cp(2)ZrHCl to give Cp(2)ZrFCl and C(2)H(4) as primary products. DFT (B3PW91) calculations show this reaction to be highly exoenergetic (-55 kcal/mol), and reveal a sigma-bond metathesis mechanism to be unfavorable compared to a Zr-H addition across the C=C bond, with regiochemistry placing F on C(beta) of the resulting fluoroethyl ligand. beta-F elimination (onto Zr) then completes the reaction. There is no eta(2)-olefin intermediate on the reaction path. DFT calculations seeking the energy and structure of the two carbenes Cp(2)ZrHCl[CF(CH(3))] and Cp(2)ZrFCl[CH(CH(3))] are also described.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405-7102, USA.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Yandulov
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Caulton