Reductive decomplexation of pi-allyltricarbonyliron lactone complexes; a new route to stereo-defined 1,7-diols and 2,3-diene-1,7-diols.
Treatment of pi-allyltricarbonyliron lactone complexes bearing an adjacent leaving group, with lithium naphthalenide causes decomplexation to acyclic dienols in excellent yield and without any scrambling of the allylic centre.