A case of alkylidyne-imine metathesis.

Reactions between imines and tungsten alkylidyne complexes are studied. The trianionic pincer ligand supported alkylidyne [ t BuOCO]WCC(CH 3 ) 3 (THF) 2 (1) reacts with N -(R)-1-phenylmethanimine (PMI-R, R = Me, Ph, Bn, and TMS) yielding [ t BuOC(H)O]W(η 2- t BuCCPh)N(R) (4-R), products from metathesis reaction. In contrast, the non-pincer alkylidyne ( t BuO) 3 WCC(CH 3 ) 3 does not react with PMI-R imines.