Oxygen abstraction by laser pyrolysis of W(CO)6; a mild route to gas-phase carbene chemistry.

SF6-photosensitised IR laser pyrolysis of W(CO)(6) in the gas phase at moderate temperatures leads to unsaturated W(CO)(n) (n < 6) species; these prove to be effective abstractors of O atoms from a range of organic substrates, and afford a simple, clean and low- energy route from carbonyl compounds into gas phase carbene chemistry.