Regiospecific insertion of benzylidene ligands into the α-C–H bond of ethers

The benzylidene complexes (CO)5WCH(p-C6H4R)(R = H, Me) react with diethyl or tetrahydrofuran to give regiospecifically the products of the insertion of the benzylidene ligand into the α-C–H bond of the ethers; the insertion reaction follows an associative mechanism initiated by a nucleophilic attack of the ethers at the benzylidene ligand.