Desulfurization and ring opening of thiirane induced by tantalocene trihydride complexes: Synthesis, reactivity and X-ray structure of Cp′2Ta(=S)(S-iPr) with Cp′=η5-C5H4tBu

The reaction of the tantalocene trihydride complexes Cp′ 2 TaH 3 1 (Cp′= η 5 -C 5 H 4 t Bu) or Cp″CpTaH 3 1′ (Cp″= η 5 -C 5 H 2 -1,2-Me 2 -4- t Bu) with propylene sulfide was found to proceed via an unprecedented sulfur transfer and regioselective ring opening reaction at once to yield sulfido-thiolato tantalocene complexes Cp′ 2 Ta(S)(S- i Pr) 2a whose structure has been determined by X-ray crystallography or Cp″CpTa(S)(S- i Pr) 2′a . Complex 1 reacts with ethylene sulfide to give Cp′ 2 Ta(S)(S–Et) 2b . The reactivity of 2a towards a variety of electrophilic moities has been investigated: protonation (with HBF 4 ) and alkylation (with MeI) reactions occur at the terminal sulfur ligand, …