Abstract
The reaction of Fe2(CO)9 and Bu
3
t
SnH yielded the bimetallic cluster complexes Fe2(μ-SnBu
2
t
)2(CO)8, 1, and Fe4(μ4-Sn)(μ-SnBu
2
t
)2(CO)16, 3. Compound 3 contains two Fe2(CO)8(μ-SnBu
2
t
) groups held together by a central quadruply bridging tin atom, giving an overall bow-tie structure for the one tin and four iron atoms. Refluxing compound 1 in toluene solvent affords the complex Fe2[μ-SnBut(CH2Ph)]2(CO)8, 4, where two of the But groups in 1 have been replaced with benzyl groups, as a result of selective benzylic C–H bond activation of solvent toluene. Similarly refluxing compound 1 in ortho-, meta- and para-xylene solvents gives the complexes where two, three and four of the But groups in 1 have been replaced by the respective xylyl groups. Compound 1 also reacts with ethylbenzene to furnish the complex Fe2[μ-SnBut(MeCHPh)]2(CO)8, 14, where two of the But groups in 1 have been replaced as a result of the benzylic C–H activation of ethylbenzene. A mechanism based on a radical pathway is proposed for the selective C–H bond activation by 1.
