aldehydes, at 90–120° C, with the formation of bicyclic Fischer-type carbenes, generated by
the transfer of the aldehydic H atom to an α carbon of the metallacycle and concomitant
bonding of the O atom to the adjacent β carbon. These carbenes have a thermodynamically
favored anti configuration of these C–H and C–O bonds but it is proposed that an
unobserved syn carbene is the kinetic primary product, which then easily epimerizes by …