Tebbe's reagent contains two tetrahedral metal centers linked by a pair of bridging ligands.

Tebbe's reagent itself does not react with carbonyl compounds, but must first be treated with a mild Lewis base, such as pyridine, which generates the active Schrock carbene.

Also analogous to the Wittig reagent, the reactivity appears to be driven by the high oxophilicity of Ti(IV).

[8] [9][10] This conversion can also be effected using the Wittig reaction, although the Tebbe reagent is more efficient especially for sterically encumbered carbonyls.

The Tebbe reagent converts esters and lactones to enol ethers and amides to enamines.

For this reason, the Tebbe reagent has found applications in reactions of sugars where maintenance of stereochemistry can be critical.