The
indenyl effect refers to an explanation for the enhanced
rates of
substitution exhibited by η5-
indenyl complexes vs the related η5-
cyclopentadienyl complexes.
Associative substitution occurs by the addition of a
ligand to a
metal complex followed by dissociation of an original ligand.
Associative pathways are not typically seen in
18-electron complexes due to the requisite intermediates having more than 18 electrons associated with the metal atom. 18 electron
indenyl complexes; however, have been shown to undergo substitution via associative pathways quite readily. This is attributed to the relative ease of η5 to η3 rearrangement due to stabilization by the
arene. This stabilization is responsible for substitution rate enhancements of about 108 for the substitution of indenyl complexes compared to the corresponding
cyclopentadienyl complex. Kinetic data support two proposed mechanisms for associative ligand substitution. The first mechanism, proposed by Hart-Davis and Mawby, is a
concerted attack by the
nucleophile and η5 to η3 transition followed by loss of a ligand and a η3 to η5 transition. In a mechanism proposed by
Basolo, η5 and η3 isomers exist in rapid
chemical equilibrium. The
rate-limiting step occurs with the attack of the
nucleophile on a η3 isomer. The nature of the substituents of the allyl group can strongly affect the kinetics and regiochemistry of the nucleophilic attack.
η5 to η3 rearrangement in other ligands Indenyl like effects are also observed in a number of non indenyl substituted metal complexes. In
fluorenyl complexes, associative substitution is enhanced even further than indenyl compounds. The substitution rate of Mn(η5-C13H9)(CO)3 is about 60 times faster than that of Mn(η5-C9H7)(CO)3 Veiros conducted a study comparing the rate of substitution on [(η5-X)Mn(CO)3] where X is
cyclopentadienyl, indenyl, fluorenyl, cyclohexadienyl, and 1-hydronaphthalene. Unsurprisingly, it was found that the ease of η5 to η3
haptotropic shift correlated to the strength of the Mn-X bond. ==History==