(Arene)Cr(CO)₃ Complexes: Aromatic Nucleophilic Substitution

Abstract

Transition metals coordinated to the pi system of arenes function as strong electron-withdrawing groups and favor nucleophilic addition to the arene to give cyclohexadienyl-metal complexes. The regioselectivity of addition is influenced in subtle and indirect ways, compared to the powerful effect on both reactivity and regioselectivity of electron-withdrawing groups attached to the sigma bond system of the arene. The intermediate cyclohexadienyl complexes can be processed in several ways, leading to several distinct synthesis methods. Useful reactivity is known for several metal systems and each is discussed for specific reaction types. The presence of a fluoro or chloro substituent on the arene allows an effective analog of classical S_NAr reactivity, with a wide range of nucleophiles including simple amines, alkoxides, and carbon anions. Another general process is the addition/protonation protocol, where a hydrogen substituent on the arene is replaced by a nucleophile. This opens new questions of regioselectivity since the typical arene ligand has several hydrogens which are candidates for substitution. The formation of five- and six-membered rings by both general mechanisms are known. Less general indirect mechanisms (e.g., tele substitution) have also been defined.