Kinetics and mechanism of the reduction of polychloroalkanes by triethylsilane, catalyzed by binuclear manganese and rhenium carbonyls

1. Kinetic methods have been used to show that the hydrides HM(CO)5 formed in the systems M2(CO)10 + HSiEt3 (M=Mn and Re) are involved in chain transfer at the chlorinated radicals. 2. The formation of HRe(CO)5 in the photochemical reaction of Re2(CO)10 with HSiEt3 has been shown by UV spectroscopy. 3. The system Mn2(CO)10 + HSiEt3 has been shown for the first time to be capable or reducing 1,1-dichloroalkanes.