ELECTROCHEMICAL-BEHAVIOR OF TROPONE DIIRON PENTACARBONYL COMPLEXES, FE2(CO)5[(RC2R)3CO] (R = ME, ET, N-PR) - FORMATION OF A CARBON-CARBON BOND UPON REDUCTION

We herein describe the electrochemical behaviour of some tropone diiron pentacarbonyl complexes Fe2(CO)5[(RC2R)3CO] (R=Et, Me, n-Pr). All these compounds exhibit a cyclic voltammetric (CV) response consisting of an electrochemically and chemically reversible one-electron reduction process at moderate cathodic potentials and a totally irreversible further reduction at c. -2 V versus SCE. At-root temperature (in the long electrolysis time scale) the electrogenerated monoanion Fe2(CO)5[(RC2R)3CO]- smoothly but completely decomposes to Fe(CO)3[(RC2R)3CO]. In this process the organic chain rearranges, and a new C-C bond is formed.