The aromatic ring of (benzene)tricarbonylchromium is substantially more electrophilic than benzene itself, allowing it to undergo nucleophilic addition reactions.

It is also more acidic, undergoing lithiation upon treatment with n-butyllithium.
 The resulting organolithium compound can then be used as a nucleophile in various reactions, for example, with trimethylsilyl chloride:
(Benzene)tricarbonylchromium is a useful catalyst for the hydrogenation of 1,3-dienes.
 The product alkene results from 1,4-addition of hydrogen.
 The complex does not hydrogenate isolated double bonds.
The aromatic ring of (benzene)tricarbonylchromium is substantially more electrophilic than benzene itself, allowing it to undergo nucleophilic addition reactions.
It is also more acidic, undergoing lithiation upon treatment with n-butyllithium.  The resulting organolithium compound can then be used as a nucleophile in various reactions, for example, with trimethylsilyl chloride:
(Benzene)tricarbonylchromium is a useful catalyst for the hydrogenation of 1,3-dienes.  The product alkene results from 1,4-addition of hydrogen.  The complex does not hydrogenate isolated double bonds.
(Benzene)chromium tricarbonyl