Reaction of [(mu-RE)(mu-CO)Fe-2(CO)(6)](-) (E = S, Se) with N2CHCO2Me. Synthesis and characterisation of (mu-RE)[mu-eta(2)-N=NCH(R ')CO2Me]Fe-2(CO)(6) and (mu-PhSe)[mu-eta(1)-N=NCH(Me)CO2Me]Fe-2(CO)(6)

Reaction of [M][(mu-RE)(mu-CO)Fe-2(CO)(6)] (E = S, Se; M = Et3NH, Na) with N2CHCO2Me give the intermediate [M][(mu-RE)(mu-N2CHCO2Me)Fe-2(CO)(6)] Actio n of LI with counterion Et3NH+ yields neutral complexes (mu-RE)(mu-eta(2-)N =NCH2CO2Me)Fe-2(CO)(6) (1, RE=Bu'S; 2, RE=PhS; 3, RE=PhSe). Treatment of II (M=Na) with Mel affords (mu-RE)[mu-eta(2)-N=NCH(Me)CO2Me]Fe-2(CO)(6) (4, R E = Bu'S; 5, RE = PhS). In the case of RE = PhSe, the reaction of II with M el gives two isomers, (mu-PhSe)[mu-eta 2-N=NCH(Me)CO2Me]Fe-2(CO)(6) (6) and (mu-PhSe)[mu-eta(1)-N=NCH(Me)CO2Me]Fe-2(CO)(6) (7). The structure of compl ex 7 has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction technique. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.