Investigations of the Structure and Kinetics of Intermediates in Proton‐Induced Alkylidyne–Isocyanide Ligand Coupling Reactions

The coordinating C atom of the alkylidyne ligand is the site of the protonation of isocyanide tungsten complexes 1. The resulting salts 2 can be converted in a MeOH-catalyzed reaction into aminoacetylene complexes 3 by coupling of the isocyanide and alkylidene ligands. N-protonated isomers are direct precursors in the coupling process. As a concrete example, R = Ph, X = Cl−, and Y = CF3SO.