Insights into the naphthalenide-driven synthesis and reactivity of zerovalent iron nanoparticles.

The chemical and thermal stability of alkali metal naphthalenides as powerful reducing agents are examined, including the type of alkali metal ([LiNaph] and [NaNaph]), the type of solvent (THF, DME), the temperature (-30 to +50 °C), and the time of storage (0 to 12 hours). The stability and concentration of [LiNaph]/[NaNaph] are quantified UV-Vis spectroscopy and the Lambert-Beer law. As a result, the solutions of [LiNaph] in THF at low temperature turn out to be most stable. The decomposition can be related to a reductive polymerization of the solvent. The most stable [LiNaph] solutions in THF are exemplarily used to prepare reactive zerovalent iron nanoparticles, 2.3 ± 0.3 nm in size, by reduction of FeCl in THF. Finally, the influence of [LiNaph] and/or remains of the starting materials and solvents upon controlled oxidation of the as-prepared Fe(0) nanoparticles with iodine in the presence of selected ligands is evaluated and results in four novel, single-crystalline iron compounds ([FeI(MeOH)], ([MePPh][FeI(PhP)])·PPh·6CH, [FeI(PPh)], and [FeI(18-crown-6)]). Accordingly, reactive Fe(0) nanoparticles can be obtained in the liquid phase [LiNaph]-driven reduction and instantaneously reacted to give new compounds without remains of the initial reduction ( LiCl, naphthalene, and THF).