Synthesis,crystal structures and electrocatalytic properties of bridgehead-C-functionalized diiron dithiolate complexes

To investigate the influence of bridgehead-C functionality in diiron dithiolate complexes on the molecular structure and electrocatalytic properties of FeFe]-hydrogenase models, three new bridgehead-C-functionalized model complexes 1–3 have been synthesized and structurally characterized. Treatments of parent complex (μ-SCH₂)₂CHCO₂H]Fe₂(CO)₆] (A) with the esterification agents o-MeC₆H₄OH, p-ClC₆H₄OH, or p-HOC₆H₄CHO in the presence of 4-dimethylaminopyridine and dicyclohexylcarbodiimide in CH₂Cl₂ at room temperature resulted in formation of (μ-SCH₂)₂CHCO₂R]Fe₂(CO)₆] (R = o-MeC₆H₄–, 1; p-ClC₆H₄–, 2; p-OHCC₆H₄–, 3) in 53–55% yields. The new complexes 1–3 were characterized by elemental analysis, IR and NMR spectroscopy, and especially determined by X-ray crystallography. The electrochemical properties of 1–3 and the electrocatalytic H₂ evolution catalyzed by 1 have been investigated by cyclic voltammetry, where 1 is a catalyst for HOAc proton reduction to H₂ under electrochemical conditions.