The photochemistry of (η 3-2-R-C 3H 4)Fe(CO)(NO)(X) (R = H or Cl; X = CO or PPh 3) in room temperature solution or frozen gas matrixes

Abstract

A photochemical study of allyl iron complexes of the type, (η 3-2-R-C 3H 4)Fe(CO)(NO)(X) (R = H or Cl; X = CO or PPh 3) is presented. These compounds were studied in solid matrixes at 20 K, and at room temperature, by a combination of laser flash at 355 nm and steady-state photolysis. The predominant photochemical process for these compounds is loss of a CO ligand. In addition, exhaustive irradiation of (η 3-2-R-C 3H 4)Fe(CO)(NO)(PPh 3) with λ exc > 300 nm provided evidence for a haptotropic shift of the allyl group from η 3 to η 1 coordination.