Reactions of mercuric halides with some substituted iron carbonyls; infrared spectra of the products and related adducts

Abstract

The complexes Fe(CO)₃L₂, (L = Ph₃P, Ph₃As, Ph₃Sb), react with mercuric halides to form 1 : 1 adducts; spectroscopic and conductivity evidence suggests their formulation as metal–donor complexes L₂(CO)₃Fe → HgX₂. A 1 : 2 complex is formed by Fe(CO)₃{(PhO)₃P}₂ and consists of a 1 : 1 compound plus a molecule of mercuric halide. Analogous structures are suggested for Fe(CO)₅,nHgX₂, (n= 1, 2).

Features of the low-frequency spectra of the parent compounds and the adducts are discussed. Mercury–halogen frequencies are correlated with various structural situations.