REACTIONS OF [CP(CO)2FE=CHAR]+ (AR=P-C6H4OME) WITH O=N-AR' (AR'=C6H5, P-C6H4NME2) AND PHN=NPH

Organometallic products formed from the reaction of an electrophilic iron carbene complex with nitrosoarenes or azobenzene reflect net insertion of the ArN=X moiety into the Fe=CHAr bond. Cp(CO)2Fe—O—N(Ar′)=CHAr+and Cp(CO)2FeN(Ph)—N-(Ph)=CHAr+(Ar = p-C6H4OMe, Ar′ = p-C6H4NMe2) have been isolated and spectroscopically characterized; the crystal structure of Cp(CO)2Fe—O—N(Ph)=CHAr+is reported. Exposure of acetone solutions of Cp(CO)2Fe—O—N(Ar′)=CHAr+or Cp(CO)2FeN(Ph)—N(Ph)=CHAr+to light yields imine products Ar′N=CHAr or PhN=CHAr, respectively. We have no evidence to support the formation of the simple stoichiometric iron-containing products of these reactions, the oxo and nitrene complexes Cp(CO)2Fe=O+and Cp(CO)2Fe=NPh+. Hydrolysis of the nitrone complexes Cp(CO)2Fe—O—N(Ar′)=CHAr+in aqueous acetone yields aldehyde products Ar′CHO. © 1990, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.