(Vinylallene)rhodium complexes with three kinds of coordination modes, that
is, eta(2)-coordination of the terminal pi-bond of the allenyl group, eta(
4)-coordination of the conjugated diene skeleton, and planar sigma(2)-coord
ination, were synthesized by ligand substitution of RhCl(PPh3)(3) with viny
lallenes of specific substitution patterns. Their structures were determine
d by X-ray crystallography. Coordination preferences can be explained in te
rms of spatial interactions between the vinylallene substituents and the ph
osphine ligands as well as effective delocalization of the pi-electrons of
the endo- and exocyclic double bonds. The structural studies were extended
to the development of the rhodium-catalyzed carbonylative [4 + 1] cycloaddi
tion reaction of vinylallenes, affording five-membered carbocycles. With a
nonsymmetrical vinylallene, face-selective eta(4)-coordination from the les
s hindered side of the allenyl group was observed. The achievement of [4 1] carbonylation can be attributed to (i) the substantial facility of subst
ituted vinylallenes for eta(4)-coordination and (ii) the significant contri
bution of a metallacyclo-3-pentene resonance form. to the intermediate comp
lex. A platinum(0) complex also catalyzed the [4 + 1] cycloaddition of viny
lallenes as efficiently as rhodium.