Treatment of the (s-trans-eta(4)-butadiene)tantalocene cation complex 3 (wi
th [CH3B(C6F5)(3-)] anion) with phenylacetylene results in the formation of
the regioisomeric alkyne-butadiene coupling products 4a (featuring the phe
nyl substituent in the beta-position) and 4b (Ph at the alpha-carbon) in a
70:30 ratio. The minor insertion product 4b was characterized by an X-ray c
rystal structure analysis. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science S.A. All
rights reserved.