STRUCTURE, CONFORMATION AND REACTIVITY OF ORGANOTRANSITION METAL PI-COMPLEXES .2. X-RAY CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC CHARACTERIZATION OF 2 NEUTRAL HALF-SANDWICH CR(CO)3 COMPLEXES

The preferred solid state conformations adopted by two (É6-ligand)Cr(CO)3 (É6-ligand: mesitylene, I; N-phenyl-2, 5-dimethylpyrrole, 2) complexes have been determined via single crystal X-ray crystallographic methods. I adopts a conformation such that the C6 ring carbon atoms are eclipsed with respect to the carbonyl ligands. Such a conformation is predictable from both steric and electronic considerations. 2, however, adopts a staggered conformation that must be attributed to the steric requirements of the bulky 2, 5-dimethylpyrrole substituent. © 1990, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.