Nucleophilic Addition to Coordinated Polyenes: A Novel Method for the Liberation of the Trimethylenemethane Ligand Involving CC Bond Formation

Reaction of (trimethylenemethane)Fe(CO)3 with carbon nucleophiles, followed by protonation yields the corresponding methallylated nucleophile in good yield. Products which incorporate carbonyl ligands are also observed. Reaction of (trimethylenemethane) Fe (CO)3 complexes with carbanion nucleophiles, followed by protonolysis, gives the corresponding methallylated product in good yield