The Strong Acidity and the Process for Deprotonation of (eta(6)-Toluene)Fe(H)(2)(SiCl(3))(2)

• Published in: Inorganic chemistry 1997-05, Vol.36 (10), p.2119-2123
• Main Authors: Yao, Zhengui, Klabunde, Kenneth J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1520-510X
• DOI: 10.1021/ic961073f

The acidity and the process for deprotonation of (eta(6)-toluene)Fe(H)(2)(SiCl(3))(2) in acetonitrile were studied with pyridine derivatives. (eta(6)-Toluene)Fe(H)(2)(SiCl(3))(2) is a very strong acid and deprotonates in acetonitrile. The formation of hydrogen-bonded complexes M-H.N prior to deprotonation is observed when pyridine, 2,6-lutidine, and 2,2'-bipyridine are used. With 1 equiv of bipyridine, the hydrogen-bonded species is quite stable, two hydrides are deprotonated, and [bpyH(2)](2+) is formed. The small (57)Fe-hydride coupling constant (3.6 Hz) for (eta(6)-toluene)Fe(H)(2)(SiCl(3))(2) is consistent with strong acidity of the compound. The 10.8 Hz coupling between (57)Fe and the hydride in [(eta(6)-toluene)Fe(H)(SiCl(3))(2)](-) and (eta(6)-toluene)Fe(H)(py)(SiCl(3)) is similar to those observed in other Fe(II) hydrido compounds. The observation of the coupling only between p-H and the hydride in [(eta(6)-toluene)Fe(H)(SiCl(3))(2)](-) and (eta(6)-toluene)Fe(H)(py)(SiCl(3)) indicates that the configuration with the hydride trans to p-H is dominant in solution and the rotation of the toluene is not fast at room temperature.