Organometallic flow chemistry: solvento complexes.

Photolysis under optimised flow conditions of metal carbonyls [{L n }M(CO) x ] [{L n }M(CO) x = Cr(CO) 6 , Mo(CO) 6 , W(CO) 6 , Mn(CO) 3 (η-C 5 H 4 Me), Re(CO) 3 (η-C 5 H 5 )] in tetrahydrofuran (THF) conveniently affords the synthetically versatile and labile solvento complexes [{L n }M(CO) x -1 (THF)], thereby obviating many of the caveats associated with photochemical syntheses using either 'batch' or falling film techniques. Conversions were optimised and yields assayed by a combination of in situ infrared spectroscopy and derivatisation as the corresponding triphenylphosphine complexes [{L n }M(CO) x -1 (PPh 3 )].