The Cleavage of Three‐Membered Ring Compounds by Transition Metal Organometallic Complexes

Transition metal organometallic complexes effect a wide range of useful and interesting cleavage reactions of three‐membered ring compounds. This review examines some recent developments in the organometallic chemistry of cyclopropanes, epoxides, episulfides and azirines. Novel synthetic approaches to heterocyclic [e.g., β γ and δ‐lactones, β‐lactams, isoxazoles, pyrazoles, indoles] and acyclic compounds [β‐diketones, vinyl isocyanates] have been achieved by means of these cleavage reactions.