Olefin metathesis by halogenopentacarbonylrhenium–dichloroethylaluminium catalysts: evidence for a co-ordinated carbene-initiated reaction

Abstract

A mixture of rhenium pentacarbonyl chloride or bromide and ethylaluminium dichloride is a long-lived, active, homogeneous catalyst for the metathesis of terminal and internal olefins; evidence for a propyl carbene-initiated reaction, based on analysis of the product mixture, is presented.