Reactivity of Hydrides FeH(2)(CO)(2)P(2) (P = Phosphites) with Aryldiazonium Cations: Preparation, Characterization, X-ray Crystal Structure, and Electrochemical Studies of Mono- and Binuclear Aryldiazenido Complexes.

Mono- and binuclear aryldiazenido complexes [Fe(ArN(2))(CO)(2)P(2)]BPh(4) (1-4) and {Fe(CO)(2)P(2)}(2)(&mgr;-N(2)Ar-ArN(2))(2) (5-8) [P = P(OEt)(3), PPh(OEt)(2), PPh(2)OEt, P(OPh)(3); Ar = C(6)H(5), 2-CH(3)C(6)H(4), 4-CH(3)C(6)H(4); Ar-Ar = 4,4'-C(6)H(4)-C(6)H(4), 4,4'-(2-CH(3))C(6)H(3)-C(6)H(3)(2-CH(3)), 4,4'-C(6)H(4)-CH(2)-C(6)H(4)] were prepared by allowing hydride species FeH(2)(CO)(2)P(2) to react with an excess of mono- (ArN(2))(BF(4)) or bis-aryldiazonium (N(2)Ar-ArN(2))(BF(4))(2) salts, respectively, at low temperature. A reaction path involving a hydride-aryldiazene intermediate FeH(ArN=NH)(CO)(2)P(2), which, through the loss of H(2), affords the final aryldiazenido complexes 1-8, is proposed. The compounds were characterized by (1)H and (31)P{(1)H} NMR spectroscopy (including (15)N isotopic substitution) and X-ray crystal structure determination. The complex Fe(CO)(2){P(OEt)(3)}(2){&mgr;-4,4'-N(2)(2-CH(3))C(6)H(3)-C(6)H(3)(2-CH(3))N(2)}(2) (5b) crystallizes in the space group P&onemacr; with a = 15.008(4) Å, b = 17.094(5) Å, c = 10.553(3) Å, alpha = 99.56(1) degrees, beta = 102.80(1) degrees, gamma = 65.30(1) degrees, and Z = 1. The structure is centrosymmetric and consists of binuclear cations with the two iron atoms in a quite regular trigonal bipyramidal environment, with the two CO in the equatorial and the two phosphites in the apical position, respectively. Aryldiazenido complexes 1-8 react with strong acids HX (X = Cl, CF(3)SO(3), CF(3)CO(2)) to give the corresponding aryldiazene derivatives, according to the equilibrium Fe(ArN(2))(CO)(2)P(2) + HX right harpoon over left harpoon FeX(ArN=NH)(CO)(2)P(2). Electrochemical studies of both mono- (1-4) and binuclear (5-8) compounds were undertaken, and a mechanism for oxidation and reduction processes is proposed.