Study published as a VIP article in the journal Angewandte Chemie.

The peculiar reactivity of [CpMn(CO)₂(N₂)] (Cp=η⁵-cyclopentadienyl) is revisited to shed light on the proposed nucleophilic attack of PhLi on its N₂ ligand. Our study shows that such reactivity doesn’t happen while the attack of the carbanion on CO is favored, albeit giving rise to a very labile compound. The latter decomposes above −20 °C into a N₂-free phenyl manganate that was erroneously proposed to be an anionic phenyldiazenido complex.

These findings offer new perspectives for the catalytic transformation of diazote into high-value-added compounds.