Synthesis and aromaticity of metallacyclopropene complexes

Abstract

Metallacycloprop-1-ene and metallacycloprop-2-ene complexes are the smallest unsaturated metallacycles, and have attracted continuing attention for their importance in organometallic synthesis and catalysis. This feature article summarizes the syntheses of monocyclic and fused metallacycloprop-2-enes, and monocyclic, spiro, and fused metallacycloprop-1-enes, all with crystallographically characterized structures. The aromatic properties of mononuclear metallacyclopropene complexes are also described.