The synthesis and characterization of iron cyanide building blocks: [K]2[CpFe(CN)3] and its pentamethylcyclopentadienyl (Cp*) analog

The synthesis of [K]2[CpFe(CN)3] (1) and its pentamethylcyclopentadienyl analog (2) has been described via the photolysis of the corresponding [K][CpFe(CO)(CN)2] salts in methanol in the presence of KCN. The structure of complex 1 has been characterized by means of X-ray crystallography.