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The photochemistry of (η(6)-anisole)Cr(CO)(3) and (η(6)-thioanisole)Cr(CO)(3) was investigated by picosecond time-resolved infrared spectroscopy in n-heptane solution at 298 K. Two independent excited states are populated following 400 nm excitation of each of these complexes. An excited state with some metal-to-CO charge-transfer character is responsible for the CO-loss process, which is slow compared to CO-loss from Cr(CO)(6). Observed first order rate constants of 1.8 × 10(10) s(-1) and 2.5 × 10(10) s(-1) were obtained for the anisole and thioanisole complexes, respectively. The second excited state has metal-to-arene charge transfer character and results in a haptotropic shift of the thioanisole ligand. DFT calculations characterized the excited states involved and the nature of the haptotropic shift intermediate observed for the thioanisole species.

The electronic structure of (η⁶-benzene)Cr(CO)₃ has been calculated using density functional theory and a molecular orbital interaction diagram constructed based on the Cr(CO)₃ and benzene fragments. The highest occupied molecular orbitals are mainly metal based. The nature of the lowest energy excited states were determined by time-dependent density functional theory, and the lowest energy excited state was found to have significant metal to carbonyl charge transfer character. The photochemistry of (η⁶-benzene)Cr(CO)₃ was investigated by time-resolved infrared spectroscopy with picosecond time resolution. The low energy excited state was detected following irradiation at 400 nm, and this exhibited ν(CO) bands at lower energy than the equivalent ν(CO) bands of (η⁶-benzene)Cr(CO)₃, consistent with metal to carbonyl charge transfer character, and is formed with excess vibrational energy, relaxing to the v = 0 vibrational state within 3 ps. The resulting "cold" excited state decays to form the CO-loss species (η⁶-benzene)Cr(CO)₂ in approximately 70% yield and to reform (η⁶-benzene)Cr(CO)₃ within 150 ps. The rates of relaxation from the vibrationally hot state to the cold excited state and its subsequent reaction to yield (η⁶-benzene)Cr(CO)₂ were measured over a range of temperatures from 274 to 320 K, and the activation parameters for both processes were obtained from Eyring plots. The vibrational relaxation exhibits a negative activation enthalpy ΔH(‡) (-10 (±4) kJ mol⁻¹) and a negative activation entropy ΔS(‡) (-50 (±16) J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹). A significant barrier (ΔH(‡) = +12 (±4) kJ mol⁻¹) was obtained for the formation of (η⁶-benzene)Cr(CO)₂ with a ΔS(‡) value close to zero. These data are used to propose a model for the CO-loss process to yield (η⁶-benzene)Cr(CO)₂ and to explain why low temperature irradiation of (η⁶-benzene)Cr(CO)₃ with light of wavelengths greater than 400 nm produced relatively minor amounts of (η⁶-benzene)Cr(CO)₂.