Reactions of early–late heterobimetallics with oxiranes: New examples for cooperative reactivity

In the reaction of oxiranes and cobalt-containing early–late heterobimetallic (ELHB) compounds isolated or prepared in situ, acyl-cobalt complexes, Y3MEOCHRCH2C(O)Co(CO)4 (1, ME = Ti, Zr, Hf), were obtained. Some of the complexes 1 were isolated in form of their derivatives substituted on the cobalt atom with PPh3. We have demonstrated that the ELHB compounds containing Group 4 metals and silyl-cobalttetracarbonyls are analogous concerning their reactivity against oxiranes. The studied heterobimetallic systems mediated the rearrangement of terminal oxiranes to ketones.