REACTION OF UNCONJUGATED DIENES WITH [FE(R2P(CH2)(N)PR2)] SPECIES

The effect of varying the bidentate ligand upon the reaction of unconj ugated dienes with. (R2P(CH2)(n)PR2)Fe-0 species has been investigated . Depending upon the nature of the substituents at phosphorus and upon the length of the hydrocarbon chain joining the phosphorus atoms, eit her (eta(2):eta(2)-diene)Fe(R2P(CH2)(n)PR2) or (eta(5)-dienyl)Fe(R2P(C H2)(n)PR2)H species are formed. Extended Huckel MO-calculations have b een used to assess the importance of electronic factors in influencing the course of reaction, and it can be shown that distortion of the te trahedral geometry of the (diene)Fe species causes a destabilization.