Thiolate, Thioether, and Thiol Derivatives of Iron(0) Carbonyls

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/ja00192a016

A new series of anionic complexes of iron tetracarbonyl monofunctionalized with the ligand ->,-> (R = Ph, Et, Me, H), have been synthesized and characterized.The compound was formed in the reaction of and PhSSPh.The -> anion was characterized by X-ray diffraction as its +> salt and found to be a typical trigonal-bipyramidal complex in which the phenylthiolate ligand occupies an axial position with a Fe-S bond distance of 2.332(5) Angstroem and <*>Fe-S-C(Ph) = 111.3(6) deg.The salt crystallized inthe orthorhombic space group Pbc2₁, with a = 9.529(4) Angstroem, b = 21.493(9) Angstroem, c = 20.185(9) Angstroem, V = 4134(3) Angstroem³, and Z = 2.Other members of the series of complexes, ->, were best obtained by ligand exchange of -> and the labile thioether complex (PhSMe)Fe(CO)4.The latter was produced from the low-temperature alkylation of the ->.Protonation of the thiolates (R = Ph, Et, Me, H) ultimately leads to formation of H2 and Fe2(μ-SR)2(CO)6; however, the intermediate thiol, (RSH)Fe(CO)4, could be observed at -78 to -40 deg C for R = Et, Me.The PhSH and HSH derivatives were unstable even at -78 deg C.