Addition of organolithium compounds to tricarbonyl(tropone)iron complexes: experimental and structural studies

The regioselectivity (1,2 vs. 1,4) in the nucleophilic addition of organolithium reagents to tropone(tricarbonyl)iron complexes has been studied and found to be correlated with the relative hardness of the nucleophile (HSAB principle). X-ray structures of several 1,2 and 1,4 adducts are reported.