SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF TRICARBONYL(TRIMETHYLENEMETHANE)IRON COMPLEXES - CRYSTAL-STRUCTURE OF LENE-6-P-NITROBENZOYLOXY-HEPTAN-1,3-DIYL)FE(CO)(3)

A series of substituted tricarbonyl(trimethylenemethane)iron complexes were prepared by functionalization of (3-butenyltrimethylenemethane)F e(CO)(3) (3) or (formyltrimethylenemethane)Fe(CO)(3) (14). The product s are characterized by H-1 and C-13-n.m.r., i.r. and high resolution m ass spectroscopy. In addition, the X-ray diffraction analysis of one o f these derivatives (13a) was accomplished. Reactions of (3), which in troduce a new chiral centre, occur in a non-diastereoselective fashion , while reactions of (14) that introduce a new chiral centre proceed w ith good diastereoselectivity. The remote nature of the reactive funct ionality and the (TMM)Fe(CO)(3) group is responsible for the lack of d iastereoselectivity for (3). The present work demonstrates the robust nature of the (TMM)Fe(CO)(3) fragment, embodied in its resistance towa rd oxidation, and to attack by nucleophiles.