New hybrid bis(phosphine)(pyrazole)borate tripodal ligands ([PhBP tBu 2 (pz')] − ) are reported that support pseudotetrahedral iron in the oxidation states +1, +2, +3, and +4. The higher oxidation states are stabilized by a terminal Fe≡NR linkage. Of particular interest is the generation and thorough characterization of an S = 1 Fe IV ≡NR + imide cation using this new ligand system. The latter species can be observed electrochemically and spectroscopically, and its solid-state crystal structure is reported.Although implicated as intermediates in group transfer reactions,1 mid-to-late first row transition metals (e.g., Mn, Fe, Co, Ni) featuring terminal imido/nitrene functionalities are rare. 5 To the best of our knowledge the single report of a complex that can be formulated as an Fe(IV) imide concerns Lee's tetranuclear cluster Fe 4 (µ 3 -N t Bu) 4 (N t Bu)Cl 3 , isolated in only 1-2% yield. 6 Mössbauer data for this species were consistent with a cluster featuring three Fe(III) centers and one Fe (IV) center, the latter most likely indicative of the Fe IV =N t Bu terminal linkage. Herein we describe a new hybrid pyrazolyl/phosphino-borate ligand that can support pseudotetrahedral iron in the +1, +2, +3, and +4 oxidation states. The +3 and +4 oxidation states are stabilized by the terminal Fe≡NR imide linkage.Access to the required bis(phosphino)pyrazolylborate 7 ligand is achieved by initial preparation of the bis(phosphino)borane precursor PhB(CH 2 P t Bu 2 ) 2 (1) via metathesis between PhBCl 2 and two equivalents of LiCH 2 P t Bu 2 (Scheme 1). Reaction of [pz]Li with 1 (pz = pyrazolyl), followed immediately by salt metathesis with TlPF 6 , leads to the clean formation of solid white [PhBP tBu 2 (pz)]Tl (2a) in 66% isolated yield. 8 The use of the bulky LiCH 2 P t Bu 2 carbanion is critically important in the preparation of this type of hybrid borate ligand because (i) effective di-rather than tri-substitution at boron can be achieved, which could not be realized using less hindered carbanions such as LiCH 2 P i Pr 2 and LiCH 2 PPh 2 ; (ii) the borane product, PhB (CH 2 P t Bu 2 ) 2 (1), does not appear to dimerize to an appreciable degree in solution. This fact allows the efficient introduction of a third donor arm. Metathesis of 2a with FeCl 2 leads to the clean formation of the high spin (S = 2) complex [PhBP tBu 2 (pz)]FeCl (3a), isolated in 69% yield as a yellow crystalline solid. Solution 1 H NMR data for 3a are suggestive of a monomeric structure in solution, in accord with the calculated solution Evans' method magnetic moment at 295 K (5.2 µ B ). 9 However, the 100 K X-ray crystal structure of 3a establishes a dimeric structure with bridging chlorides and a crystallographic center of symmetry in the solid-state (see SI for details).Following an overall methodology that proved effective for the synthesis of Fe(III) imides previously, one-electron reduction of 3a with sodium/mercury amalgam in the presence of excess PMe 3 generates the high spin d 7 precursor [PhBP tBu 2 (pz)]Fe(PMe 3 ) (4a) a...