Synthesis and reactivity of cis-FeH2(dcpe)2 (dcpe = 1,2-bis(dicyclohexylphosphino)ethane)

A new six-coordinate iron dihydride cis-FeH2(dcpe)2 (1) has been synthesized (dcpe = 1,2-bis(dicyclohexylphosphino)ethane). It has been found to react with either 1,4-cyclohexadiene or tert-butylethylene in toluene to give the respected hydrogenated hydrocarbon and the zero valent species Fe(dcpe)(toluene) (2). When this reaction with acceptor olefins was performed in methylcyclohexane, transfer dehydrogenation was observed to give low-yields of iron-bound toluene in 2.