Photochemical generation of a novel (O, N′, N′′) coordinated iron(II) complex [Fe(FT–py) 2] from a ferrocenoyl-functionalized thiourea ligand: N-ferrocenylcarbonyl- N′-(2-pyridyl)thiourea (HFT–py): crystal and molecular structures of HFT–py and [Fe(FT–py) 2

Abstract

Photolysis of deoxygenated acetonitrile solution of a ferrocenoyl-functionalized thiourea ligand, N-ferrocenylcarbonyl- N′-(2-pyridyl)thiourea (HFT–py) with visible light leads to the formation of a novel (O, N′, N′′) coordinated iron(II) complex [Fe(FT–py) 2], in which two deprotonated ligands (FT–py −) are bound to one iron(II) centre through a carbonyl oxygen O, deprotonated thioamidic (–C(S)–N′H–) nitrogen N′ and pyridyl nitrogen N′′ atoms to form a distorted octahedral complex. In the photolysis process, the photochemical activation plays an important role in the deprotonation of the intramolecular hydrogen bond (O⋯H–N′) to provide both O, N′ donor sites. The molecular structures of the ligand and its photoproduct were determined by X-ray diffraction, which unequivocally confirmed the photochemical behaviour and the coordination feature.