Noel J. Bremer

Synthesis and studies of dehydro-NN′N″-trialkylguanidinohexacarbonyldi-iron(0)

Reaction of dialkylcarbodi-imides with Fe(CO)5 affords novel compounds having the general formula C(NR)3Fe2-(CO)6(R = Pri, C6H11). Acid hydrolysis indicates that the trialkylguanidine moiety is present in the complex, and is attached through nitrogen atoms to a Fe2(CO)6 group, which contains an Fe–Fe bond. I.r., n.m.r., and mass spectral data are consistent with the formulation of the ligand as a dehydrotrialkylguanidine. A possible mechanism for formation of the product is proposed.

Dehydro-NN′N″-tricyclohexylguanidinohexacarbonyldi-iron(0), a novel carbene generator

The complex Fe2(dtg)(CO)6 reacts with CHCl3 in the presence of EtOH to give products with olefins which show that dichlorocarbene has been added across the C–C double bond and/or inserted in C–H bonds.