Detection of sigma -alkane complexes of manganese by NMR and IR spectroscopy in solution: ( eta super(5)-C sub(5)H sub(5))Mn(CO) sub(2)(ethane) and ( eta super(5)-C sub(5)H sub(5))Mn(CO) sub(2)(isopentane)

Irradiation of CpMn(CO) sub(3) in liquid ethane at 135 K at 355 nm yields a photoproduct that exhibits nu (CO) bands in the IR spectrum shifted to low wavenumber with respect to CpMn(CO) sub(3) that are indicative of a Mn(i) dicarbonyl. Parallel experiments employing in situ irradiation within an NMR probe (133 K, 355 nm photolysis) reveal the super(1)H NMR signals of this product and confirm its formulation as the sigma -ethane complex CpMn(CO) sub(2)( eta super(2)-C1-H-ethane). The resonance of its coordinated C-H group is observed at delta -5.84 and decays with lifetime of ca.360 s. Analogous photolysis experiments in isopentane solution with IR detection produce CpMn(CO) sub(2)( eta super(2)-C-H-isopentane) with similar IR bands to those of CpMn(CO) sub(2)( eta super(2)-C-H-ethane). super(1)H NMR spectra of the same species were obtained by irradiation of CpMn(CO) sub(3) in a 60 : 40 mixture of propane and isopentane; three isomers of CpMn(CO) sub(2)( eta super(2)-C-H-isopentane) were detected with coordination of manganese at the two inequivalent methyl positions and at the methylene group, respectively. The lifetimes of these isomers are ca. 380 plus or minus 20 s at 135 K and do not vary significantly from each other. These sigma -complexes of manganese are far more reactive than those of related CpRe(CO) sub(2)(alkane) complexes which are stable in solution at 170-180 K. The room temperature lifetimes of CpMn(CO) sub(2)( eta super(2)-C-H-ethane) and CpMn(CO) sub(2)( eta super(2)-C-H-isopentane), as determined by TRIR spectroscopy, are 2.0 plus or minus 0.1 and 28 plus or minus 1 mu s, respectively.