Reactivity of [PPh4][Fe2(CO)6{µ-CPhCPhC(CF3)C(CF3)H}] toward electrophiles. X-Ray structure of [Fe2(CO)6{µ-CPhCPhC(CF3)CHC(OEt)2}], a product resulting from fluorine abstraction at a CF3 group and subsequent fluorine substitution by ethoxy-groups

Abstract

The complex [PPh₄][Fe₂(CO)₆{µ-CPhCPhC(CF₃)C(CF₃)H}] reacts with electrophiles like H⁺ and C₂H₅⁺ to give [Fe₂(CO)₆{µ-CPhCPhC(CF₃)CHCF₂}], a product resulting from fluorine abstraction at a CF₃ group. This product reacts with ethanol to give [Fe₂(CO)₆{µ-CPhCPhC(CF₃)CHC(OEt)₂}] whose structure has been established by single-crystal X-ray determination. The compound crystallizes in the space group P2₁/n with a= 10.673(6), b= 20.681 (4), c= 13.118(4)Å, β= 92.27(3)°, and Z= 4. The structure was refined to R= 0.027 (R′= 0.026) for 1 137 independent reflections. In this structure, the organic bridge is bonded to one iron by an allylic fragment, CPhCPhC(CF₃), and the CHC(OEt)₂ fragment is very asymmetrically bonded to the other iron [Fe–C(H) 2.150(10), Fe–C(OEt)₂ 2.864(10)Å].