The
mixed-valence triiron complexes [Fe3(CO)7–x(PPh3)x(μ-edt)2] (x = 0–2; edt = SCH2CH2S) and [Fe3(CO)5(κ2-diphosphine)(μ-edt)2] (diphosphine = dppv, dppe,
dppb, dppn) have been prepared and structurally characterized. All
adopt an anti arrangement of the dithiolate bridges,
and PPh3 substitution occurs at the apical positions of
the outer iron atoms, while the diphosphine complexes exist only in
the dibasal form in both the solid state and solution. The carbonyl
on the central iron atom is semibridging, and this leads to a rotated
structure between the bridged diiron center. IR studies reveal that
all complexes are inert to protonation by HBF4·Et2O, but addition of acid to the pentacarbonyl complexes results
in one-electron oxidation to yield the moderately stable cations [Fe3(CO)5(PPh3)2(μ-edt)2]+ and [Fe3(CO)5(κ2-diphosphine)(μ-edt)2]+, species
which also result upon oxidation by [Cp2Fe][PF6]. The electrochemistry of the formally Fe(I)–Fe(II)–Fe(I)
complexes has been investigated. Each undergoes a quasi-reversible
oxidation, the potential of which is sensitive to phosphine substitution,
generally occurring between 0.15 and 0.50 V, although [Fe3(CO)5(PPh3)2(μ-edt)2] is oxidized at −0.05 V. Reduction of all complexes is irreversible
and is again sensitive to phosphine substitution, varying between
−1.47 V for [Fe3(CO)7(μ-edt)2] and around −1.7 V for phosphine-substituted complexes.
In their one-electron-reduced states, all complexes are catalysts
for the reduction of protons to hydrogen, the catalytic overpotential
being increased upon successive phosphine substitution. In comparison
to the diiron complex [Fe2(CO)6(μ-edt)],
[Fe3(CO)7(μ-edt)2] catalyzes
proton reduction at 0.36 V less negative potentials. Electronic structure
calculations have been carried out in order to fully elucidate the
nature of the oxidation and reduction processes. In all complexes,
the HOMO comprises an iron–iron bonding orbital localized between
the two iron atoms not ligated by the semibridging carbonyl, while
the LUMO is highly delocalized in nature and is antibonding between
both pairs of iron atoms but also contains an antibonding dithiolate
interaction.