Base-Mediated Conversion of Hydrazine to Diazene and Dinitrogen at an Iron Center

The treatment of the hydrazine complex cis-[Fe(N2H4)(dmpe)(2)](2+) with base afforded the diazene complex cis-[Fe(N2H2)(dmpe)(2)]. This reaction is reversed by the treatment of the diazene complex with a mild acid, while treatment of the hydrazine complex with a mixture of KOBut and (BuLi)-Li-t afforded the dinitrogen complex [Fe(N-2)(dmpe)(2)].