Rearrangement of carbiminium carbonylmetalates by mutual exchange of alkoxy- and amino functionalities (M=W, Cr): Crystal structure analyses

Reaction of (1-alkynyl)carbene complexes (CO)5MC(OEt)CCPh (1a,b) (M=Cr, W) with enamines R′(R2N)CCHR′′ (4a–d) (R2N=morpholine) yielded carbiminium carbonylmetalates −(OC)5MC(OEt)C[C(N+R2)R′]C(Ph)CHR′′ (5) by metathesis of the (N)CC at the CC bond. Compounds 5 are stable in solid state, but in solution they undergo a mutual exchange of the ethoxy- and the amino functionality to give isomers −(OC)5MC(N+R2)]C[C(OEt)R′]C(Ph)CHR′′ (6).