Dinuclear iron carbonyl complexes with dithiolate ligands:: X-ray structures of [Fe2(CO)6{μ-SCCHCHC(CH3)CHCS}] and [Fe2(CO)5{μ-SCCHCHC(CH3)CHCS}(PPh3)]

The reactions of Na-2[Fe(CO)(4)] with 3,4-toluenedithiol and 1,3-propanedithiol at room temperature give the dinuclear complexes [Fe-2(CO)(6){mu -SCCHCHC(CH3)CHCS)} (1) and [Fe-2(CO)(6)(mu -SCH2CH2CH2S)] (2), respectively. Compounds I and 2 both react with triphenylphosphine at ambient temperature to give [Fe-2(CO)5{mu -SCCHCHC(CH3)CHCS)(PPh3)] (3) and [Fe-2(CO)(5)(mu -SCH2CH2CH2S)(PPh3)] (4), respectively. The compounds have been characterized by spectroscopic data together with single crystal X-ray diffraction studies for 1 and 3. The toluenedithiolate anion acts as a bidentate ligand with both the sulfur atoms forming symmetrical bridges across the metal-metal bond. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.