Generation of a bridging ethenyl ligand at a di-iron centre via carbon-phosphorus bond cleavage

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(91)83142-Q

UV irradiation of (1) with diphenylvinylphosphine yields (2) in which the vinylphosphine acts as a bridging four electron donor ligand to the di-iron centre.Thermolysis of 2 results in carbon-phosphorus bond cleavage giving the μ-alkenyl complex (3).The μ-ethenyl moiety in 3 is static at room temperature but at higher temperatures windshield wiper fluxionality is observed, a process conveniently monitored by 31P NMR spectroscopy.