Carbonyl insertion and reductive elimination chemistry of tungsten(II) alkoxides and aryloxides

Carbonyl insertion into the W–O bond in a series of novel WII alkoxides and aryloxides, containing a tridentate monoanionic [C,N,N′] ligand, results in the generation of alkoxycarbonyl- and aryloxycarbonyl-groups, which readily reductively eliminate to form new C–C bonds; in contrast, carbon dioxide insertion into the W–OMe alkoxide bond generates an η1;-carbonate ligand, which retains coordination to the metal centre.