Synthesis, crystal structure and reactivity studies of iron complexes with pybox ligands

• Iron complexes with Me2–pybox and Ph2–pybox ligands have been synthesized.
• All iron complexes were characterized by X-ray crystallography.
• The effect of ligand on the reactivity of iron complexes was investigated.

Iron(II) complexes, [Fe(2,6-bis(4,4-dimethyl-1,3-oxazolin-2-yl)pyridine)Cl2] ((Fe(Me2–pybox)Cl2), 3) and [Fe(2,6-bis(4,4-diphenyl-1,3-oxazolin-2-yl)pyridine)Cl2] ((Fe(Ph2–pybox)Cl2), 4), have been synthesized and characterized by X-ray crystallographic analysis. Upon treatment of complex 3 with silver triflate and 4 with acetonitrile, [Fe(Me2–pybox)(CH3CN)OTf2] (5) and [Fe(Ph2–pybox)(CH3CN)2Cl][FeCl3] (6) were obtained, respectively. The bulkier phenyl substitutes were found not only to cause the elongation of the N–Fe bonds but also influence the reactivity of the Fe center.

Synthesis and X-ray crystallographic studies of iron(II)–pybox complexes with Me2–pybox and Ph2–pybox ligands, and their corresponding complexes [Fe(Me2–pybox)(CH3CN)OTf2] and [Fe(Ph2–pybox)(CH3CN)2Cl][FeCl3] were displayed. Furthermore, the effects of the steric factor on the coordination chemistry and reactivity were discussed.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide