Coordination Chemistry of P4S3 and P4Se3 towards the Iron Fragments [Fe(Cp)(CO)2]+ and [Fe(Cp)(PPh3)(CO)]+

Abstract

The complexes Ag(L)n[WCA] (L=P4S3, P4Se3, As4S3, and As4S4; [WCA]=[Al(ORF)4]− and [F{Al(ORF)3}2]−; RF=C(CF3)3; WCA=weakly coordinating anion) were tested for their performance as ligand-transfer reagents to transfer the poorly soluble nortricyclane cages P4S3, P4Se3, and As4S3 as well as realgar As4S4 to different transition-metal fragments. As4S4 and As4S3 with the poorest solubility did not yield complexes. However, the more soluble silver-coordinated P4S3 and P4Se3 cages were transferred to the electron-poor Fp+ moiety ([CpFe(CO)2]+). Thus, reaction of the silver salt in the presence of the ligand with Fp−Br yielded [Fp−P4S3][Al(ORF)4] (1 a), [Fp−P4S3][F(Al(ORF)3)2] (1 b), and [Fp−P4Se3][Al(ORF)4] (2). Reactions with P4S3 also yielded [FpPPh3−P4S3][Al(ORF)4] (3), a complex with the more electron-rich monophosphine-substituted Fp+ analogue [FpPPh3]+ ([CpFe(PPh3)(CO)]+). All complex salts were characterized by single-crystal XRD, NMR, Raman, and IR spectroscopy. Interestingly, they show characteristic blueshifts of the vibrational modes of the cage, as well as structural contractions of the cages upon coordination to the Fp/FpPPh3 moieties, which oppose the typically observed cage expansions that lead to redshifts in the spectra. Structure, bonding, and thermodynamics were investigated by DFT calculations, which support the observed cage contractions. Its reason is assigned to σ and π donation from the slightly P−P and P−E antibonding P4E3-cage HOMO (e symmetry) to the metal acceptor fragment.