This Guided Literature Discussion was assigned as a course project, and is the result of work originated by students Stefanie Barnett and Katelyn Yowell.  It is based on the article “Synthesis, Electrochemistry, and Reactivity of Half-Sandwich Ruthenium Complexes Bearing Metallocene-Based Bisphosphines”, Shaw, A.P.; Norton, J.R.; Bucella, D.; Sites, L.A.; Kleinbach, S.S.; Jarem, D.A.; Bocage, K.M.; Nataro, C. Organometallics 2009, 28, 3804-3814.

This literature discussion is based on one of early papers detailing the mechanism for the Monsanto acetic acid process (J. Am. Chem.

This literature discussion is based on a paper by Bill Jones and Frank Feher (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1986, 108, 4814-4819). In this paper, they study the activation of aromatic C-H bonds by a rhodium complex. Through careful experimental design, they were able to examine isotope effects on the selectivity of the reaction. Analysis of the rate data allowed them to prepare a reaction coordinate free energy diagram. This paper also introduces the effects of C-H bond breaking in early or late transition states on the vibrational energy spacing at both ground and excited states.

A literature discussion has been developed for two courses: (i) a more basic set of questions appropriate for a sophomore level course or, possibly, a one semester upper level course that does not spend much time on organometallics, and (ii) an in-depth, in- and out-of-class set of assignments appropriate for an organometallics unit or course. Both sets of questions explore the mechanism of olefin metathesis in first- and second-generation Grubbs catalysts using a variety of spectroscopic kinetic techniques that were presented in the paper Sanford, M. S.; Love, J. A.; Grubbs, R. H. J.

This literature discussion is based on a paper by Karen Goldberg (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1995, 117, 6889-6896). In this early paper by Goldberg, she studied the reductive elimination of ethane and methyl iodide from dppePtMe3I. The paper is well written, and approachable for undergraduates. It shows a real, interesting application of thermodynamic and kinetic methods to the study of a problem in mechanistic chemistry.

The literature discussion is based on one of the early papers from the Chirik group (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2004, 126, 14688). In this communication, the coordination of N₂ to a series of (C₅H₄R)₂Ti fragments is examined. Being a communication, it is very short and that helps make it less intimidating for undergraduates. But don't be fooled, it is very rich in the fundamental concepts of orgnaometallic chemistry.