Tantalizing Chemistry of the Half-Sandwich Silylhydride Complexes of Niobium:  Identification of Likely Intermediates on the Way to Agostic Complexes

Abstract

Reactions of the compound [NbCp(ArN)(PMe3)2] with chlorosilanes HSiRR‘Cl give a series of silyl complexes [NbCp(ArN)(PMe3)(H)(SiRR‘Cl)] and [NbCp(ArN)(PMe3)(Cl)(SiRR‘H)] which are likely intermediates to the agostic complexes [NbCp(ArN(RR‘2Si−H···))(PMe3)(Cl)]