Synthesis and reactivity of asymmetric Cr(i) dinitrogen complexes supported by cyclopentadienyl-phosphine ligands.

Asymmetric trinuclear and dinuclear Cr(i) dinitrogen complexes bearing cyclopentadienyl-phosphine ligands were synthesized via reduction of their corresponding Cr(ii) chloride complexes in the presence of N-2. Oxidative addition reactions of single, double and triple bonds are found to take place on the low-valent Cr(i) centre.