REACTIVITY OF AN ARENE COBALT TRIPLE-DECKER COMPLEX TOWARDS VARIOUS LIGANDS - FACILE ARENE DISPLACEMENT IN CLOPENTADIENYL)COBALT)-MU-(ETA(4)-ETA(4)-TOLUENE)]

The triple decker complex [{(eta(5)-Cp)Co}(2)-mu-{mu(4):eta(4)-toluen e}] 1b exhibits an unusual reactivity towards a variety of organic lig ands. 1b reacts with CO, ethene, butadiene, H-2, Al2O3, hexafluorobenz ene, 1.5 Cod, 2-butyne, phenanthrene, naphthalene and the dinuclear Ni cluster [{(eta(5)-Cp)NiP(C2H5)(3)}(2)] to form mainly mononuclear oro anocobalt complexes. Reaction of 1b with NO and the diazoalkanes di-t- butyl-diazomethane and 2-diazo-1,1',3,3'-tetramethylcyclohexane result s in the formation of the dinuclear complexes [{(eta(5)-Cp)CoNO}(2)], [{(eta(5)-Cp)(di-t-butyl-diazomethane)Co}(2)] and (2-diazo-1,1',3:3' -tetramethylcyclohexane)Co}(2)], respectively. In the reaction of Ib w ith elemental sulfur the formation of a tetranuclear Go-sulfide cluste r is observed. In the majority of the reactions studied, 1b looses its toluene ligand already at room temperature indicating an unusual high and hitherto unprecedented reactivity of an arene triple decker compl ex.