Anionic chalcogen functionalised pentaphosphaferrocene complexes

Abstract

Ferrocene has long captivated chemists as a benchmark organometallic compound, renowed for its exceptional stability, versatile redox behaviour and synthetic flexibility. In contrast, its phosphorus analogue pentaphosphaferrocene [Cp*Fe(η⁵-P₅)], has received comparatively less attention despite exhibiting distinctive electronic and structural characteristics. Herein, we describe the synthesis of anionic complexes incorporating novel P₅E (E = O, S, Se) and P₅E₂ (E = O, S, Se and Te) mixed-main group ligands from the reactions of pentaphosphaferrocene and its reduced anionic salts [K(DME)]₂[Cp*Fe(η⁴-P₅)] and [K(DME)]₂[{Cp*Fe(η⁴-P₅)}₂] with KOH/K, S₈, Se₈, Me₃NO and Na₂Te, respectively.