Diiron μ-aminocarbyne compounds, 1a-e, are prepared in two steps from Fe 2 Cp 2 (CO) 4 , negating the need for difficult purification procedures of intermediate species; they are efficiently isolated by alumina chromatography. Minor amounts of μ-aminocarbyne aryl isocyanide compounds, 2a-c, are obtained as side products. The structures of the cations in 1a,c,e are calculated using DFT; the carbyne carbon is generally predicted to be the thermodynamic site of hydride addition, in agreement with a previous experimental finding concerning 1a. Accordingly, the reaction of 1e with NaBH 4 affords a bridging aminocarbene complex, 4, in 85 % yield. Otherwise, the reaction of 1c with NaBH 4 yields the aminocarbyne-cyclopentadiene derivative 3 (70 %), presumably as a consequence of the [a] Scheme 1. Regioselective additions of nucleophiles to the diiron aminocarbyne complex 1a.
Results and DiscussionThe commercial compound [Fe 2 Cp 2 (CO) 4 ] was reacted with the appropriate isocyanide, in a ca. 3:2 molar ratio, in acetonitrile solution. [16] The reactions with alkyl isocyanides were conducted under reflux conditions, whereas the reactions with aryl isocyanides proceeded at room temperature. The resulting mixtures were dried under vacuum and the residues were dissolved in dichloromethane and then treated with methyl triflate, thus affording the μ-aminocarbyne complexes 1a-e (Scheme 2). The difficult isolation of the monoisocyanide intermediates (see the Introduction) was unnecessary. The final products 1a-e were efficiently purified by alumina chromatography and were then isolated as microcrystalline, air-stable compounds in 65-92 % yields. The synthesis of 1c-e was accompanied by the side formation of minor products derived from di-isocyanide species, 2a-c. Compounds 2a-c were recovered by the chromatography in 3-12 % yields, although 2a was formerly reported as being Scheme 2. Synthesis of diiron μ-aminocarbyne complexes.Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2018, 960-971 www.eurjic.org