Towards the synthesis of piano-stool iron complexes mediated by S-alkyl selenothiocarbonato ligands and their substitution reactions

Abstract

The S-alkyl selenothiocarbonato iron complexes of the general formula CpFe(CO)2SeC(O)SR (R = Et, n-Pr, i-Pr) are made by the reactions of (µ-Se)[FeCp(CO)2]2 and S-alkyl chlorothioformates RSC(O)Cl. The CO-substitution reactions of CpFe(CO)2SeC(O)SEt with triphenylphosphine, triphenylarsine, or triphenylantimony (EPh3) gave the monosubstituted complexes CpFe(CO)(EPh3)SeC(O)SEt (E = P, As, Sb) in high yields. All the S-alkyl selenothiocarbonato iron complexes have been characterized by IR, MS, 1H, 77Se, 31P, 13C NMR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The solid-state structures of CpFe(CO)2SeC(O)SiPr and CpFe(CO)(PPh3)SeC(O)SEt, were determined by X-ray crystal structure analysis. The cyclic voltammetry of the same two complexes was also investigated.