trans-[Co(CH
2Cl)(tmsalen)(S)] undergoes metallacyclization in water/methanol, affording the
cis ![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
organometallicderivative [Co(tmsalenCH
2)(S)
2]Cl. The presence of N-donorligands, L, increases the cyclization rate mainly by electroniceffects. The reaction involves the substitution of the solvent byL in a fast preequilibrium step, both [Co(CH
2Cl)(tmsalen)(S)]and [Co(CH
2Cl)(tmsalen)(L)] undergoing the cyclization reaction. As the cyclization involves the formation of ions from aneutral complex, the large negative activation entropy isattributed to the freezing of the solvent around the incipientions in the transition state.