Synthesis and structural characterization of high spin M/Cu (M = Mn, Fe) heterobimetallic and Fe/Cu2 trimetallic phosphinoamides

The heterobimetallic complexes Mn((i)PrNPPh(2))(3)Cu((i)PrNHPPh(2))] (1) and Fe((i)PrNPPh(2))(3)Cu((i)PrNHPPh(2))] (2) have been synthesized by the one pot reaction of LiN(i)PrPPh(2), MCl(2) (M = Mn, Fe), and CuI in high yield. Addition of excess CuI into 2 or directly to the reaction mixture led to the formation of a heterotrimetallic Fe((i)PrNPPh(2))(3)Cu(2)((i)PrNPPh(2))] (3) in good yield. Complexes 1-3 have been characterized by means of elemental analysis, paramagnetic (1)H NMR, UV-vis spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and single crystal X-ray analysis. In all three complexes, Mn or Fe are in the +2 oxidation state and have a high spin electron configuration, as evidenced by solution Evans' method. In addition, the oxidation state of Fe in complex 3 is confirmed by zero-field (57)Fe M?ssbauer spectroscopy. X-ray crystallography reveals that the three coordinate Mn/Fe centers in the zwitterionic complexes 1-3 adopt an unusual trigonal planar geometry.