HIGH-PRESSURE REACTIONS IN POLYETHYLENE FILMS, A NEW DEVELOPMENT IN MATRIX-ISOLATION - THE PHOTOCHEMICAL-REACTION OF FE(CO)5 WITH N2 AND THE THERMAL-REACTION OF FE(CO)4(N2) WITH H-2

A new miniature high-pressure cell has been developed for the spectroscopic study of reactions between organometallic compounds impregnated into polymer films and gases such as N2 or H-2 at any temperature between ambient and 20 K. The use of the cell is illustrated by the photochemical reactions of Fe(CO), in polyethylene film (PE) with N2 and H-2 at 190 K to form Fe(CO)4(N2) and Fe(CO)4H2 respectively. IR spectra suggest that the N2 group may occupy an equatorial rather than an axial position. Once formed. Fe(CO)4(N2) is shown to react thermally with H-2 at almost-equal-to 210 K to yield the dihydride compound, Fe(CO)4H2.