Cyclopropanation and Diels–Alder reactions catalyzed by the first heterobimetallic complexes with bridging phosphinooxazoline ligands

Abstract

The bimetallic complex trans-[(OC)₃Fe(μ-L^P,N)₂Cu]BF₄ (2), which contains two bridging phosphinooxazoline ligands, is the first metal–metal bonded six-membered ring system with P,N donors and its crystal structure shows a unique bimetallic cradle conformation. This complex is an efficient catalyst for the cyclopropanation of styrene by ethyl diazoacetate and for the Diels–Alder reaction between cyclopentadiene and methacrolein, these reactions being catalyzed for the first time by heterometallic complexes.