Endohedral Metallocenophanes of Rhodium and Cobalt

The synthesis of seven endohedral metallocenophanes of rhodium ( 7b , 8b ) and cobalt ( 1d − h ) with a cyclopentadienyl unit as one of the π‐systems and a cyclobutadiene or cyclopentadienone unit as the second π‐system is described, including the synthesis of the unsubstituted parent compound of the [CpCo(cbd)]‐derived endohedral phanes, [3.3]‐η 5 ‐(1,1',3,3')‐cyclopentadienyl–η 4 ‐(cyclobutadienophane)co‐balt( I ) ( 1h ). This compound could be obtained by deprotection of the corresponding trimethylsilyl‐substituted endohedral phane 1g . The X‐ray structures of 7b , 1e , 1g and 1h could be obtained. This paper compares their structural properties to the complexes reported in previous short communications. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2005)