Radical additions to (eta6-styrene) chromium tricarbonyl.

[reaction: see text] Alkyl radical addition reactions to styrene chromium tricarbonyl can be accomplished using alkyl halides and tris(trimethylsilyl)silane in the presence of AIBN in refluxing benzene. The ketyl generated from acetone with SmI2 in THF/HMPA also underwent successful addition. These addition reactions are believed to proceed through intermediates in which the radical is interacting with an adjacent arene chromium tricarbonyl functionality and do not appear to be complicated by polymerization.