Novel Cyclic Alkane Metathesis Reactions via Surface Organometallic Chemistry

Metathesis of cyclic alkanes on silica supported WMe5 affords a wide distribution of cyclic and macrocyclic alkanes. The major products are the result of either a ring contraction or ring expansion of cyclooctane leading to lower unsubstituted cyclic alkanes and unsubstituted macrocyclic alkanes, identified by GC/MS and by NMR spectroscopies.