Synthesis and cleavage reactions of thiocarbonyl-bridged Cp2Fe2(CO)3CS,and preparation of the carbene complexes CpFe(CO)C(N2C2H6)SnPh3 and [CpFe(CO)2C(OMe)2]PF6

The thiocarbonyl-bridged complex Cp₂Fe₂(CO)₃CS is obtained by the reaction of CpFe(CO)₂^? and (PhO)₂CS in THF. Infrared and NMR spectra show that the compound exists in solution in interconverting cis and trans forms, but that the isomerization occurs more slowly than for the carbonyl analog CpFe(CO)₂]₂. Most reagents which cleave CpFe(CO)₂]₂, such as Br₂, HgCl₂, and O₂/HBF₄, do not give simple cleavage reactions with Cp₂Fe₂(CO)₃CS. Reductive cleavage of Cp₂Fe₂(CO)₃CS with Na(Hg) gives the thiocarbonyl anion CpFe(CO)(CS)^?, which reacts with Ph₃SnCl to form CpFe(CO)(CS)SnPh₃. Methylamine reacts with CpFe(CO)(CS)SnPh₃ to give CpFe(CO)(CNMe)SnPh₃, while ethylenediamine gives the carbene complexes CpFe(CO)C(N₂C₂H₆)SnPh₃. The preparation of another new carbene complex, CpFe(CO)₂C(OMe)₂]PF₆, is also described.