Aminoc
arbene comple
xes having a methyl group in the
ortho-position to the aminoc
arbene moiety on the
aromatic ring, (
S)-pentac
arbonyl[(
N,N-dimethylamino)(3-methoxyc
arbonyl-2-methylphenyl)c
arbene]chromium(0) [
(S)-6] and (
R)-pentac
arbonyl[(
N,N-dimethylamino)(5-methoxyc
arbonyl-2-methylphenyl)c
arbene]chromium(0) [
(R)-7], were prep
ared in enantiomerically pure form by the crystallization of diastereoisomeric esters with (
S)-1-(1-naphthyl)ethanol. In the case of
(S)-6 the racemization b
arrier Δ
G
rac = 121 ± 0.5 kJ·mol
−1 was established. The substitution of
o-methyl group with an isopropyl group virtually did not change the racemization b
arrier (Δ
G
rac = 120.5 ± 0.5 kJ·mol
−1), while the introduction of an
o-phenyl group led to substantial lowering of Δ
G
rac. Attempts to transfer chirality in thermal reactions of the comple
xes
(S)-6 and
(R)-7 with alkynes, palladium-catalyzed insertion into a C−H bond, and photochemical formation of β-lactams were unsuccessful.