Reported
are complexes of the formula Fe(dithiolate)(CO)2(diphos)
and their use to prepare homo- and heterobimetallic dithiolato
derivatives. The starting iron dithiolates were prepared by a one-pot
reaction of FeCl2 and CO with chelating diphosphines and
dithiolates, where dithiolate = S2(CH2)22– (edt2–), S2(CH2)32– (pdt2–), S2(CH2)2(C(CH3)2)2– (Me2pdt2–) and diphos = cis-C2H2(PPh2)2 (dppv), C2H4(PPh2)2 (dppe), C6H4(PPh2)2 (dppbz), C2H4[P(C6H11)2]2 (dcpe). The incorporation of 57Fe into such building block complexes commenced with the
conversion of 57Fe into 57Fe2I4(iPrOH)4, which then
was treated with K2pdt, CO, and dppe to give 57Fe(pdt)(CO)2(dppe). NMR and IR analyses show that these
complexes exist as mixtures of all-cis and trans-CO isomers, edt2– favoring the former and pdt2– the
latter. Treatment of Fe(dithiolate)(CO)2(diphos) with the
Fe(0) reagent (benzylideneacetone)Fe(CO)3 gave Fe2(dithiolate)(CO)4(diphos), thereby defining a route from
simple ferrous salts to models for hydrogenase active sites. Extending
the building block route to heterobimetallic complexes, treatment
of Fe(pdt)(CO)2(dppe) with [(acenaphthene)Mn(CO)3]+ gave [(CO)3Mn(pdt)Fe(CO)2(dppe)]+ ([3d(CO)]+). Reduction of [3d(CO)]+ with BH4– gave the Cs-symmetric
μ-hydride (CO)3Mn(pdt)(H)Fe(CO)(dppe) (H3d). Complex H3d is reversibly protonated by strong acids,
the proposed site of protonation being sulfur. Treatment of Fe(dithiolate)(CO)2(diphos) with CpCoI2(CO) followed by reduction
by Cp2Co affords CpCo(dithiolate)Fe(CO)(diphos) (4), which can also be prepared from Fe(dithiolate)(CO)2(diphos) and CpCo(CO)2. Like the electronically
related (CO)3Fe(pdt)Fe(CO)(diphos), these complexes undergo
protonation to afford the μ-hydrido complexes [CpCo(dithiolate)HFe(CO)(diphos)]+. Low-temperature NMR studies indicate that Co is the kinetic
site of protonation.