Abstract
The reactions of the starting complex, [Fe2(CO)6{μ-SCH2CH (CH2CH3)S}] (1), with the phosphine ligands tris(4-methylphenyl)phosphine, diphenyl-2-pyridylphosphine, tris(4-fluorophenyl)phosphine, 2-(diphenylphosphino)benzaldehyde, or benzyldiphenylphosphine in the presence of the decarbonylating agent Me3NO·2H2O yielded the corresponding phosphine-substituted diiron butane-1,2-dithiolate complexes [Fe2(CO)5(L){μ-SCH2CH(CH2CH3)S}] (L = P(4-C6H4CH3)3, 2; Ph2P(2-C5H4N), 3; P(4-C6H4F)3, 4; Ph2P(2-C6H4CHO), 5; Ph2PCH2Ph, 6) in 75%–87% yields. The complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR, 1H, and 31P{1H} NMR spectroscopy, as well as by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Moreover, the electrochemistry of 2–4 was studied by cyclic voltammetry, suggesting that they can catalyze the reduction of protons to H2 in the presence of HOAc.
Graphical Abstract
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