Rapid and ordered carbonylation and oxygenation of a cobalt(ii) methyl

Abstract

The oxidative carbonylation of To^MCoMe (1; To^M = tris(4,4-dimethyl-2-oxazolinyl)phenylborate) involves its rapid, reversible reaction with CO to form To^MCo{C(O)Me}CO (2) followed by rapid reaction with O₂ yielding To^MCoOAc (3), in contrast to the slow direct carboxylation of To^MCoMe by CO₂.