Different modes of reaction of lithium phosphides with Cp*M(NO)(X)Cl complexes of molybdenum tungsten

{Treatment of Cp*M(NO)(X)Cl complexes (M = Mo, W; X, = CH(2)SiMe(3), CH(2)CMe(3), NHCMe(3), OCMe(3), Cl) with lithium phosphides can result in one of three different types of reactions. Some reactions involve the starting material undergoing metathesis of a chloro ligand, and others effect reduction of the organometallic reactant, while a third class results in a scrambling of the ligands of the starting complex. Reactions of CP*M(NO)(X)Cl with LiPPh(2) lead to formation of the respective phosphido-containing complexes Cp*M(NO)(X)(PPh(2)) [M = W