Isolation of a tetranuclear iron cluster promoting CO2 reduction and intermediate to iron carbonyl disproportionation
Abstract
(py)Fe(CO)4(py = pyridine) is formed on carbonylation of [Fe(py)6][Fe4(CO)13], and the 56 electron tetranuclear cluster [(py)2FeFe(CO)4]2, the crystal structure of which has been determined, is produced on dissolving (py)Fe(CO)4 in organic solvents; it behaves as a bifunctional molecule in reducing CO2 to CO, FeCO3 being formed during this reaction.