SYNTHESIS AND PHOTOLYSIS OF THE 5 POSSIBLE ISOMERIC PHENYL-HEXAMETHYLTRISILYL-(CYCLOPENTADIENYLDICARBONYLIRON)COMPLEXES - (ETA(5)-C5H5)FE(CO)(2)SI(3)ME(6)PH

Isomeric phenyl-hexamethyltrisilyliron complexes of the type (eta(5)-C5H5)Fe(CO)(2)Si(3)Me(6)Ph, FpSi(3)Me(6)Ph (I-V) have been synthesized(,) characterized, and photolysed in an inert solvent. Separate photolyses of the linear Fp complexes, e.g. FpSiMe(2)SiMe(2)SiMe(2)Ph (III), result in the transient formation of intermediate isomeric 2-substituted trisilyl Fp complexes, FpSiMe(SiMe(3))(SiMe(2)Ph)(IV) and FpSiPh(SiMe(3))(2)(V) which photodeorigomerize to FpSiMe, and FpSiMe,Ph via the intermediacy of Fp disilyl complexes. The product distribution from the photolyses of the Fp complexes is in accord with a mechanism involving equilibrating silyl(silylene) iron complexes. The two branched silyl complexes, FpSiPh(SiMe(2))(2) and FpSiMe(SiMe(3))(SiMe(2)Ph), isomerize prior to formation of the disilanes whereas the linear trisilanes and disilanes do not interconvert.