Assignment of absolute configurations from the circular dichroism spectra of cyclic η4-diene complexes of Fe(CO)3

Abstract

The circular dichroism spectra of a set of 1-substituted tricarbonyl(η4-cyclohexadiene)iron(0) complexes with comparable absolute configurations reveal a pattern of bands that correlates with the absolute stereochemistry of the complexes; the nature of the substituents attached at C-1 of the diene is important in the interpretation of the CD spectra of these compounds, since the sign of the highest wavelength band can be reversed for a particular absolute configuration, depending on whether electron-donating or electron-withdrawing substituents are present.