Synthesis and interconversions of reduced, alkali-metal supported iron-sulfur-carbonyl complexes.

We report the synthesis, interconversions and X-ray structures of a set of [mFe-nS]-type carbonyl clusters (where S = S2-, S-2(2-) or RS-; m = 2-3; n = 1-2). All of the clusters have been identified and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, IR and C-13 NMR. Reduction of the parent neutral dimer [mu(2)-(SPh)(2)Fe-2(CO)(6)] (1) with KC8 affords an easily separable similar to 1 : 1 mixture of the anionic, dimeric thiolate dimer K[Fe-2(SPh)(CO)(6)(mu-CO)] (2) and the dianionic, sulfido trimer [K(benzo-15-crown-5)(2)](2)[Fe-3(mu(3)-S)(CO)(9)] (3). Oxidation of 2 with diphenyl-disulfide (Ph2S2) cleanly returns the starting material 1. The Ph-S bond in 1 can be cleaved to form sulfide trimer 3. Oxidation of sulfido trimer 3 with [Fc](PF6) in the presence of S-8 cleanly affords the all-inorganic persulfide dimer [mu(2)-(S)(2)Fe-2(CO)(6)] (4), a thermodynamically stable product. The inverse reactions to form 3 (dianion) from 4 (neutral) were not successful, and other products were obtained. For example, reduction of 4 with KC8 afforded the mixed valence Fe(I)/Fe(II) species [(((Fe2S2)-S-I)(CO)(6))(2)Fe-II](2-) (5), in which the two {Fe2S2(CO)(6)}(2-) units serve as bidendate ligands to a Fe(II) center. Another isolated product (THF insoluble portion) was recrystallized in MeCN to afford [K(benzo-15-crown-5)(2)](2)[((Fe2S)(CO)(6))(2)(mu-S)(2)] (6), in which a persulfide dianion bridges two {2Fe-S} moieties (dimer of dimers). Finally, to close the interconversion loop, we converted the persulfide dimer 4 into the thiolate dimer 1 by reduction with KC8 followed by reaction with the diphenyl iodonium salt [Ph2I](PF6), in modest yield. These reactions underscore the thermodynamic stability of the dimers 1 and 4, as well as the synthetic and crystallization versatility of using the crown/K+ counterion system for obtaining structural information on highly reduced iron-sulfur-carbonyl clusters.