Reductive elimination of halogens assisted by phosphine ligands in Fe(CO)4X2 (X = I, Br) complexes

Fe(CO)₄X₂ complexes [X = I (1), Br(1′)] react with phosphine ligands L (L = PMe₃, PEt₃, PMe₂Ph, PMePh₂, PPh₃) via a two-step mechanism: in the first step fac-Fe(CO)₃LX₂ complexes are formed; in the second step two parallel pathways, a and b, are observed; in pathway a, reductive elimination with formation of equimolar amounts of Fe(CO)₃L₂ (5) and phosphonium salts [LX]⁺X⁻ is observed; in pathway b, disubstituted dihalide complexes cis,trans,cis-Fe(CO)₂L₂X₂ are formed. The relative weights of pathways a and b depend on the basicity, steric hindrance and concentration of ligand L, on the nature of the halogen and on temperature. A radical mechanism which accounts for most of the experimental results is proposed.