Thermodynamics, kinetics, and mechanism of (silox)3M(olefin) to (silox)3M(alkylidene) rearrangements (silox = tBu3SiO; M = Nb, Ta).

Olefin complexes (silox)(3)M(ole) (silox = (t)Bu(3)SiO; M = Nb (1-ole), Ta (2-ole); ole = C(2)H(4), C(2)H(3)Me, C(2)H(3)Et, C(2)H(3)C(6)H(4)-p-X (X = OMe, H, CF(3)), C(2)H(3)(t)Bu, (c)C(5)H(8), (c)C(6)H(10), (c)C(7)H(10) (norbornene)) rearrange to alkylidene isomers (silox)(3)M(alk) (M = Nb (1=alk), Ta (2=alk); alk = CHMe, CHEt, CH(n)Pr, CHCH(2)C(6)H(4)-p-X (X = OMe, H, CF(3) (Ta only)), CHCH(2)(t)Bu, (c)C(5)H(8), (c)C(6)H(10), (c)C(7)H(10) (norbornylidene)). Kinetics and labeling experiments suggest that the rearrangement proceeds via a delta-abstraction on a silox CH bond by the beta-olefin carbon to give (silox)(2)RM(kappa(2)-O,C-OSi(t)Bu(2)CMe(2)CH(2)) (M = Nb (4-R), Ta (6-R); R = Me, Et, (n)Pr, (n)Bu, CH(2)CH(2)C(6)H(4)-p-X (X = OMe, H, CF(3) (Ta only)), CH(2)CH(2)(t)Bu, (c)C(5)H(9), (c)C(6)H(11), (c)C(7)H(11) (norbornyl)). A subsequent alpha-abstraction by the cylometalated "arm" of the intermediate on an alpha-CH bond of R generates the alkylidene 1=alk or 2=alk. Equilibrations of 1-ole with ole' to give 1-ole' and ole, and relevant calculations on 1-ole and 2-ole, permit interpretation of all relative ground and transition state energies for the complexes of either metal.