Quantitative Determination of the Regioselectivity of Nucleophilic Addition to η3-Propargyl Rhenium Complexes and Direct Observation of an Equilibrium between η3-Propargyl Rhenium Complexes and Rhenacyclobutenes

PMe3 adds selectively to the central C of the η3-propargyl complex [C5Me5(CO)2Re(η3-CH2C≡CCMe3)][BF4] (1-t-Bu) to form the metallacyclobutene [C5Me5(CO)2Re(CH2C(PMe3):CCMe3)][BF4] (7). The rate of rearrangement of the metallacyclobutene 7 to η2-alkyne complex [C5Me5(CO)2Re(η2-Me3PCH2C≡CCMe3)][BF4] (8) is independent of phosphine concn., consistent with a dissociative mechanism proceeding via η3-propargyl complex 1-t-Bu. The rate of this rearrangement is 480 times slower than the rate of exchange of PMe3 with the labeled metallacyclobutene 7-d9. This rate ratio provides an indirect measurement of the regioselectivity for addn. of PMe3 to the central C of η3-propargyl complex 1-t-Bu to give 7 compared to addn. to a terminal C to give 8. The addn. of PPh3 to 1-t-Bu gives the metallacyclobutene [C5Me5(CO)2Re(CH2C(PPh3):CCMe3)][BF4] (11). Low-temp. 1H NMR spectra provide evidence for an equil. between metallacyclobutene 11 and η3-propargyl complex 1-t-Bu (Keq ≈ 44 M-1 at -46° and ΔG°(0°) = -1.2 ± 0.2 kcal mol-1). The crystal and mol. structures of [C5Me5(CO)2Re[η2-(Ar2PCH2CH2PPh2)CH2C≡CCMe3]][BF4]·2CH2Cl2 (Ar = 3,5-(CF3)2C6H3) and [C5Me5(CO)2Re(η2-Me3PCH2C≡CCMe3)]Cl·H2O were detd. by x-ray crystallog. [on SciFinder(R)]