Anionic oligomerization as a route to chain clusters.
The combination of two old concepts (the "sigma-donor" capability of M-H bonds and the propensity of unsaturated complexes for addition reactions) has led to the first example of addition oligomerization of an organometallic analogue of olefins: chains containing cis-[Re(CO)4] units joined by Re-H-Re interactions have been obtained through the oligomerization of the unsaturated complex [Re2(micro-H)2(CO)8] promoted by anionic "initiators". The limits of the method and the possible extension to other substrates are discussed.
D'Alfonso
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G
Dipartimento di Chimica Inorganica Metallorganica e Analitica, Milano, Italy. dalf@csmtbo.mi.cnr.it