Abstract
The synthesis of W(OAr)
2
Cl(CHR)(CH
2
R
1
)(OR
2
2
)(Ar = 2,6-disubstituted phenyl; R
2
= Et or Pr
i
) illustrates one of the first examples of a well defined, Lewis acid free, homogeneous olefin metathesis catalyst, for which the activity and stereoselectivity can be governed by the nature of the aryloxide ligands and of the co-ordinated ether and which shows a wide range of potential applications.