Novel route to tetrathiafulvalene derivatives via carbon disulphide–iron complexes

Abstract

The (1,3-dithiol-2-ylidene)iron compounds (2), arising from (η²-CS₂) Fe complexes, give rise to terrathiafulvalene derivatives either by addition of iodine or by thermolysis; the dimerisation of the carbene ligand requires a vacant co-ordination site on Fe and is inhibited by an increase in CO pressure which allows the formation of the new carbene–iron derivative (5).