Cyclopropenation of organometallic vinylidene complexes

The chemistry of metal cyclopropenyl complexes derived from deprotonation of cationic ruthenium vinylidene complexes is reviewed. Such a metal coordinated cyclopropenyl ligand can be used for the preparation of heterocyclic compounds. The chemical reactivity of cyclopropenyl complexes is influenced by the nature of substituents on the three-membered ring and by the nature of ancillary ligand around the metal centers.