Phosphorus–carbon bond cleavage at a di-iron centre. Conversion of µ-R2PCH2PR2 to µ-R2PCH2 and µ-PR2: crystal structures of [Fe2(CO)4(µ-Ph2PCH2)(µ-PPh2)(µ-Me2PCH2PMe2)] and [Fe2(CO)6{µ-PhPCH(Me)P(Ph)(C6H4-O)}]
Abstract
The µ-bis(phosphido)methane ligands in the complexes [Fe2(CO)7(µ-R2PCH2PR2)] and [Fe2(CO)5(µ-R2PCH2PR2)2](R = Me or Ph) undergo phosphorus–carbon bond cleavage on heating to give co-ordinated µ-R2PCH2 and µ-PR2; the pattern of cleavage is changed by methyl substitution, as in Ph2PCH(Me)PPh2, when loss of one phenyl group is accompanied by ortho-metallation of another.