Appearance red-violet crystal | ||
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Chlorohydridobis(bis-1,2-(diphenylphosphino)ethane)iron(II) is a coordination complex with the formula HFeCl[(C6H5)2PCH2CH2P(C6H5)2]2 or HFeCl(dppe)2, where dppe is the ligand 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane. The trans confirmation is the most often reported structure, and the compound is a red-violet crystalline solid. The compound is an electron-rich, coordinatively unsaturated complex where the iron metal is in a low oxidation state. It is typical used as the starting material for a number of iron complexes containing the Fe[(C6H5)2PCH2CH2P(C6H5)2]2 moiety.
Contents
Structure
The coordination sphere of the iron metal can be described as octahedral. The chloride and hydride ligands are trans, giving a D4h ideal rotation axis that passes through the Fe, Cl, and H atoms. This axis is perpendicular to the equatorial plane defined by the four phosphorus atoms, through which the Fe metal lies slightly above. This suggests that the four phosphorus nuclei are equivalent. The bond distances between the iron metal atom and the coordinating ligands are given by the following.
Synthesis
The compound is synthesized according to the balanced reaction.
FeCl2 + 2 (C6H5)2PCH2CH2P(C6H5)2 + Na[BH4] → NaCl + ½ B2H6 + HFeCl[(C6H5)2PCH2CH2P(C6H5)2]2