A new synthetic route to pentacarbonylalkene complexes of tungsten(0): X-ray crystal structure of [W(CO)5(η2-C2H4)]

The new method of synthesis, employing the binuclear complex of tungsten(I) [(μ-GeCl2){W(CO)5}2] as a source of pentacarbonyltungsten moiety, was used in synthesis of a thermally labile ethene complex of tungsten(0). The crystal structure of [W(CO)5(η2-C2H4)] (1) has been established by X-ray diffraction studies.