Preparation of complexes formed in the reaction between diironnanocarbonyl and tetraalkyl(phenyl)diphosphine disulfides, R2P(S)P(S)R2 (R=Et, n-Pr, n-Bu, Ph)

Fe2(CO)9 and R2P(S)P(S)R2 (R = Et, n-Pr, n-Bu, Ph) react to form two types of cluster complexes Fe3(CO)9(μ3-S)2 (1), Fe2(CO)6(μ-SPR2)2 (2A)-(2D), [2A, R = Et; 2B, R = n-Pr; 2C, R = n-Bu; 2D, R = Ph]. The complexes result from phosphorus-phosphorus bond scission; in the former sulfur abstraction has also occurred. The complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, FT-IR and 31P-[1H]-NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry.