Preparation, structure, and some reactions of the evasive azobenzene complex [Fe 2(CO) 6(μ-Ph 2N 2)

Abstract

The title compound [Fe 2(CO) 6(μ-Ph 2N 2)] ( 1) was obtained in a two-step sequence from Fe 2(CO) 9 and phenyl azide via the intermediate tetraazadiene complex (CO) 3Fe·Ph 2N 4 ( 2). Its NN bond length (1.41 åA) is 0.04 åA longer than that in [Fe 2(CO) 6(μ-Et 2N 2)] corresponding to an enhanced reactivity. Accordingly, the reactions of 1 with CO and H 2 which lead to [Fe 2(CO) 6(μ-PhN-CO-NPh)] ( 4) and [Fe 2(CO) 6( > -NHPh) 2] ( 5) respectively, involve cleavage of the NN bond.