Insights into the carbene-initiated aggregation of [Fe(cot)2]

Abstract

Carbenes attack! Stable carbenes react with [Fe(cot)2] in very different ways. Whereas the classical N-heterocyclic carbenes induce the formation of tetra- and trimetallic iron clusters, abnormal NHCs and carbocyclic carbenes (BACs) form mono- and bimetallic iron complexes. Cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbenes (CAACs) react with [Fe(cot)2] in a completely different manner, namely through outersphere [4+1] cycloaddition. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.