Synthesis and reactivity of manganese tricarbonyl complexes of the centropolyindanes 10-methyltribenzotriquinacene and fenestrindane

The cationic manganese tricarbonyl moiety is readily coordinated to an aren e ring of the centropolyindanes 10-methyltribenzotriquinacene (MTBT) and fe nestrindane (FET) to afford [(MTBT)Mn(CO)(3)](+) (1) and [(FET)Mn(CO)(3)]() (2). An X-ray structure of 1 shows that the metal is coordinated to the c onvex face of the MTBT ligand. Both 1 and 2 are electrophilically activated and readily undergo regioselective and stereoselective addition reactions with mild nucleophiles.