Demonstration of the facile reversibility of fulvene formation

Cleavage of fulvenes under mild conditions and interchange between electron-deficient fulvenes and their constituent cyclopentadienes and imines is demonstrated for the first time. A series of cyclopentadienes and imines are investigated to probe the dependence of fulvene equilibration on structure. The exchange of one fulvene for another is demonstrated in the first reported example of transfulvenation. Finally, the metathesis of two fulvenes to generate all four possible cross products is shown.