Electron density is donated directly to the metal like a sigma bond would be formed.
The reaction center can be a p-orbital, a conjugated system or even a sigma bond.
The molecule can be described as having two pi bonds but without a sigma bond.
Pi-bonds are more spread out bonds than the sigma bonds.
The shift in the sigma bond may be antarafacial or suprafacial.
The X represents the number of sigma bonds between the central atoms and outside atoms.
In a sigma bond, the atomic orbitals from two atoms which are nearby go one on top of each other.
It forms for an instant a single sigma bond to both of the carbon atoms involved.
These may have their own names, such as sigma bond and pi bond.
The result is formation of one sigma bond and two pi bonds.