Single-flask synthesis of (C5H5)W(CO)3Cl from W(CO)6

(C₅H₅)W(CO)₃Cl has been prepared in >90% yield from W(CO)₆, cyclopentadiene, and CCl₄ in a single-flask synthesis involving the intermediates W(CO)₃(CH₃CN)₃ and (C₅H₅)W(CO)₃H.     

Comparative properties of fluorous phosphine ligand complexes: W(CO)5L. Crystal structure of W(CO)5P(C6H4-4-CH2CH2(CF2)7CF3)3

The compounds W(CO)₅P(C₆H₄-4-CH₂CH₂(CF₂)₇CF₃)₃ (1) and W(CO)₅P(CH₂CH₂(CF₂)₅CF₃)₃ (2) were synthesized in order to probe the electronic and physical effects of ligation by perfluorocarbon substituted tertiary phosphine ligands in a W(CO)₅L complex. The π-accepting ability of the fluorous phosphines was found to rank with non-fluorous comparators as P(CH₂CH₂(CF₂)₅CF₃)₃ > P(C₆H₄-4-CH₂CH₂(CF₂)₇CF₃)₃ > PPh₃ > P(p-tolyl)₃ > P(n-octyl)₃. The X-ray crystal structure of W(CO)₅P(C₆H₄-4-CH₂CH₂(CF₂)₇CF₃)₃ shows strong intermolecular association of fluorous components but confirms that the para fluorocarbon subtituents have an insignificant effect on the tungsten coordination environment. Partition coefficients (toluene/perfluoromethylcyclohexane) were measured for compounds 1 and 2.     

Syntheses and characterization of the W(II) and W(III) N2 complexes, [WCl2(PMe3)3]2N2 and [WCl3(PMe3)2]2N2

Refluxing WCl₄(PMe₃)₃ under a nitrogen atmosphere in the presence of two equivalents of sodium amalgam leads to a reduction to the W(II) complex [cis,mer-WCl₂(PMe₃)₃]₂N₂ (1), which can be converted to [mer,trans-WCl₃(PMe₃)₂]₂N₂ (2) via appropriate oxidation/chlorination. Structural data have been obtained for both complexes, and demonstrate significantly increased steric crowding in 1 due to PMe₃/PMe₃ interactions. The N-N bond distances in the two compounds are similar, at 1.279(4) and 1.243(18) Å, respectively.