Synthesis and X-ray crystal structure of Fe(CO) 2]O 2CCH 2P(C 6H 5) 2] 2, the first iron carbonyl complex with two carboxylate ligands

Abstract

Fe(CO) 2[O 2CCH 2P(C 6H 5) 2] 2 ( I) was synthesized from FeSO 4·7H 2O and Na[O 2CCH 2P(C 6H 5) 2] under CO pressure. The 18-electron compound has an octahedral coordination sphere around Fe 2+. Two diphenylphosphinoacetate ligands are bonded to the iron through the phosphorus atoms and one of the oxygen atoms of the carboxylato groups. Two carbonyl groups and two carboxylato oxygen atoms are in cis positions to each other, while the phosphorus atoms adopt trans positions. The unit cell contains both enantiomers of the chiral octahedral compound.