Bioinspired Nucleophilic Attack on a Tungsten-Bound Acetylene: Formation of Cationic Carbyne and Alkenyl Complexes.

Inspired by the proposed inner-sphere mechanism of the tungstoenzyme acetylene hydratase, we have designed tungsten acetylene complexes and investigated their reactivity. Here, we report the first intermolecular nucleophilic attack on a tungsten-bound acetylene (C2H2) in bioinspired complexes employing 6-methylpyridine-2-thiolate ligands. By using PMe3 as a nucleophile, we isolated cationic carbyne and alkenyl complexes.