Photochemistry of dicarbonyldinitrosyliron in frozen gas matrices at 20 K. Infrared spectroscopic evidence for carbonyldinitrosyliron and carbonyl(dinitrogen)dinitrosyliron

Abstract

Infrared evidence is presented for the formation of a planar three-co-ordinate species, [Fe(CO)(NO)₂], on u.v. photolysis of [Fe(CO)₂(NO)₂] in argon and methane matrices, and for the formation of four-co-ordinate species, [Fe(CO)(N₂)(NO)₂] and probably [Fe(N₂)₂(NO)₂] In nitrogen matrices at 20 K. The primary photolysis steps are readily reversed by irradiation with visible light. The results are related to the postulate of co-ordinatively unsatur-ated and expanded-co-ordination-shell species as intermediates in the thermal substitution reactions of [Fe(CO)₂(NO)₂].