Synthesis, characterization and crystal structures of tetrairon ethanedithiolate complexes containing bridging bidentate phosphine ligands

Three tetrairon ethanedithiolate complexes [{(mu-EDT)Fe-2(CO)(5)}(2)L] (EDT = SCH2CH2S: L = (eta(5)-Ph2PC5H4)(2)Fe, 1: Ph2PCH2CH2PPh2, 2; trans-Ph2PCH = CHPPh2, 3) containing bridging bidentate phosphine ligands were prepared by carbonyl substitution reactions in the presence of the decarbonylating agent Me3NO center dot 2H(2)O. The new complexes 1-3 were characterized by elemental analysis, IR and H-1 (P-31, C-13) NMR spectroscopies. Furthermore, their structures were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The molecular structure of 1 is centrosymmetric and the two cyclopentadienyl (Cp) rings reside in a staggered conformation. The molecular structures of 2 and 3 are composed of a zigzag chain, Fe2P1C20C20AP1AFe2A, with the midpoint of the C20-C20A bond as the center of symmetry. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.