Exploratory Flash Vacuum Pyrolysis of some Cyclopentadienyliron Complexes

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(87)85047-7

At 500 deg C, flash vacuum pyrolysis of (η⁵-C5H5)2Fe2(CO)4 provides a rapid, practical synthesis of the tetranuclear complex (η⁵-C5H5)4Fe4(μ₃-CO)4: at higher temperatures, ferrocene is formed.Ferrocene itself undergoes little change under flash vacuum pyrolysis conditions, even at 725 deg C.Pivaloylferrocene is unchanged at 650 deg C but cracks to yield isobutene between 675 and 700 deg C; this reaction does not proceed by simple elimination since formylferrocene can be recovered unchanged under flash vacuum pyrolysis conditions which give substantial quantities of isobutene from pivaloylferrocene.