PHOTOREACTIONS OF SILYLIRON(II) COMPLEXES CP'FE(CO)(2)SIME(3) (CP'=ETA(5)-C5H5, ETA(5)-C(5)ME(5)) WITH DI-P-TOLYLGERMANE (P-TOL)(2)GEH2

Photolysis of CpFe(CO)(2)SiMe(3) (Cp = eta(5)-C5H5) in the presence of (p-Tol)(2)GeH2 afforded a mixture of cis and trans isomers of diiron complexes Cp(2)Fe(2)(CO)(2)(mu-CO){mu-Ge(p-Tol)(2)} and Cp(2)Fe(2)(CO) (2){mu-Ge(p-Tol)(2)}(2). The photostationary state with cis : trans = 85 : 15 was attained by the photolysis of either cis or trans isomer o f the latter complex. In contrast, photoreaction of CpFe(CO)(2)SiMe(3 ) (Cp = eta(5)-C(5)Me(5)) with (p-Tol)(2)GeH2 gave a monoiron complex CpFe(CO)(2)GeH(p- Tol)(2).