Metal Carbonyls: Applications and Reactions

This lecture covers the topic of metal carbonyls, focusing on their bonding characteristics and applications in various chemical reactions. The instructor begins by reviewing the previous week's material on metal carbonyls, discussing their bonding with metals and the strength of the CO bond. The lecture then transitions into practical applications, including the use of metal carbonyls in catalysis and their role in reactions such as oxidative addition and ligand association. The instructor emphasizes the importance of understanding the reactivity of metal carbonyls and how to design experiments to determine reaction pathways. The discussion includes the concept of migratory insertion and reductive elimination, highlighting the factors that influence these processes. The lecture also introduces metal carbines, explaining their structure, properties, and the differences between Fischer and Schrock carbines. The instructor concludes by discussing the significance of metal carbines in synthetic chemistry, particularly in ring-closing metathesis reactions, and encourages students to consider the experimental aspects of studying these compounds.