The dinuclear and divalent hydride complex
{[(Me3Si)NP(Ph)2C(H)P(Ph)2N(SiMe3)]V}2(μ-H)2 (1)
performs oxidative addition to the styrene β-C−H bond,
affording the novel dinuclear trivalent vanadium complex {[(Me3Si)NP(Ph)2C(H)P(Ph)2N(SiMe3)]V}2(H)(μ-H)2(μ,η1:η2-CHCHPh) (2). Room-temperature hydrogenolysis re-formed 1 and ethylbenzene in catalytic
fashion. Reaction of 1 with ethylene afforded instead
the mixed-valence {[(Me3Si)NP(Ph)2C(H)P(Ph)2
N(SiMe3)]V}2(μ-H)3 (3) and a mixture of 2-butene and
3-methyl-1,4-pentadiene.