Reduction of 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene by a molecular calcium hydride: an even electron polarised insertion/deprotonation mechanism

Abstract

Reaction of a dimeric β-diketiminato calcium hydride with 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene enables two electron aromatisation of the [8]annulene to provide an inverse sandwich dicalcium cyclooctatetraenyl derivative. This reactivity does not proceed through sequential single electron transfer but via a consecutive polarised Ca–H/CC insertion and deprotonation pathway that occurs at the intact dimeric hydride reagent.