Phosphaniminato‐Cluster von Eisen. Die Kristallstrukturen von [FeCl(NPEt3)]4, [Fe(C=C–SiMe3)(NPEt3)]4 und [Fe3Cl4{NP(NMe2)3}3]

Phosphoraneiminato Cluster of Iron. The Crystal Structures of FeCl(NPEt₃)]₄, Fe(C=C–SiMe₃)(NPEt₃)]₄, and Fe₃Cl₄{NP(NMe₂)₃}₃] The reaction of iron dichloride with the silylated phosphaneimine Me₃SiNPEt₃ in the presence of potassium fluoride at 165 ?C leads to the phosphoraneiminato complex FeCl(NPEt₃)]₄ ( 1 ). Compound 1 forms black, moisture and oxygen sensitive crystals. According to the crystal structure analysis 1 has a heterocubane structure, in which the iron and the nitrogen atoms of the NPEt₃^– groups occupy the corners of a distorted cube and form Fe–N–Fe bond angles of 83.1? and N–Fe–N angles of 96.5?. This results in significantly short Fe…Fe contacts of 272.9 pm. The results of magnetic susceptibility measurements in the range of temperatures from 1.8 to 293 K and the ⁵⁷Fe‐Mössbauer spectra in the range of temperatures from 2 to 300 K are reported. Compound 1 reacts with the lithiated acetylenes LiC=C–CMe₃ and LiC=C–SiMe₃ in n‐hexane to form the iron‐organic derivatives Fe(C=C–R)(NPEt₃)]₄ R = CMe₃ ( 2 a ), R = SiMe₃ ( 2 b )] keeping the heterocubane structure. Compounds 2 a and 2 b form crystals which are very reactive and also black. According to the crystal structure analysis 2 b has a Fe₄N₄ heterocubane structure which is less distorted than that in 1 with bond angles Fe–N–Fe of 85.5? and N–Fe–N of 94.2?. This leads to the longer Fe…Fe contacts of 281.4 pm. With the dimethylamido derivative Me₃SiNP(NMe₂)₃ iron dichloride reacts under conditions similar to those in the synthesis of 1 to form the dark green mixed‐valenced Fe^II/Fe^III cluster Fe₃Cl₄{NP(NMe₂)₃}₃] ( 3 ). According to the crystal structure analysis the three iron atoms in 3 are connected via one μ₃‐N atom of a NP(NMe₂)₃^– ligand, via two μ‐N atoms of the two remaining phosphoraneiminato ligands, and via one μ‐Cl atom to form an incomplete heterocubane skeleton.