Magnesium bromide radicals have to be prepared as high-temperature molecules and trapped as a metastable solution because a seemingly simple reduction of donor-free Grignard compounds failed. However, the essential role of magnesium(I) species during the formation of Grignard compounds could be demonstrated experimentally.

The reactions of R2P-P(SiMe3)Li (R = tBu, iPr2N) with [Cp2MoCl2] yield terminal phosphanylphosphido complexes formally via the insertion of the phosphinidene P-atom into the C - H bond of a cyclopentadienyl ring and the migration of the hydrogen atom or SiMe3 moiety to the molybdenum centre. Solid state structures of [Cp(C5H4P-PtBu2)MoH], [Cp(C5H4P-PtBu2)Mo(SiMe3)] and [Cp{C5H4P-P(NiPr2)2}Mo(SiMe3)] were established by single crystal...

Two new methylsilylsulfides are synthesized. Propeller-like chirality is described for triaryloxysilanethiol and its methyl derivative. S-methylation of the silanethiol lowers the overall symmetry of the unit cell.