Thermal rearrangement of digermyl-bridged bis(1-indenyl) diiron complexes (Me2GeGeMe2)[(eta(5)-1-indenyl)Fe(CO)](2)(mu-CO)(2)

Reaction of IndMe(2)GeGeMe(2)Ind with Fe(CO)(5) in refluxing xylene yields complex (Me2GeGeMe2)[(eta(5)-1-indenyl)Fe(CO)](2)(mu-CO)(2)(2). 2 undergoes a novel thermal rearrangement reaction between its Ge-Ge and Fe-Fe bonds, forming two isomeric rearrangement products with new cyclic structures, [Me 2Ge(eta(5)-1-indenyl)Fe(CO)(2)](2) (3). The crystal structures of the cis i somer 3c and the trans isomer 3t were determined by X-ray diffraction. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.