Carbon-sulfur bond cleavage by cobalt. Reaction of Cp★Co(C2H4)2 with dibenzothiophene

The thermal reaction of CP★Co(C2H4)2 with thiophene yields the CS insertion product [Cp★Co]2(μ-η2η34H4S). Reaction with dibenzothiophene produces the analogous dinuclear CS insertion adduct [Cp★Co]2(μ-η2-η3 -C12H8S) the crystal structure of which was determined. Reaction of the thiophene insertion adduct with H2S gives a new butadienedithiolate compound in which sulfur has inserted into the metal-carbon bond, [CP★Co]2(μ-η2-η2-S2C 4H4).