Synthesis of heteroleptic bis-phosphine bis-NHC iron (0) complexes: a strategy to enhance small molecule activation†

Description

Christian Andre and Nathaniel Szymczak report new iron compounds in a 2024 chemistry paper. Iron is cheap and plentiful, so chemists want it to do work now done by rare metals. One key job is waking up small, sturdy molecules such as nitrogen and carbon monoxide. The team built iron complexes that carry two different supporting ligands at once: one built on phosphorus, and one built on carbon based rings called NHCs.

The mixed pairing bends the iron center's shape and electron pattern. The result is an unusually reactive, electron rich iron. It binds nitrogen and carbon monoxide in forms that are highly activated, well beyond what single ligand versions achieve. Adding acid put the extra hydrogen on the iron itself. Adding a silicon reagent to the nitrogen complex gave a rare, highly activated silicon nitrogen unit. The authors frame the design as a route to stronger small molecule activation.

Catalog record

Source: https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC11563305