Iron(0) and ruthenium(0) complexes with tridentate phosphonite ligands and their potential for ketene formation from methyl iodide, CO and a base

Iron(0) and ruthenium(0) dicarbonyl complexes bearing various tridentate phosphonite ligands RP[(CH2)3P(OR2′)]2 have been prepared and tested for their oxidative addition capability with methyl iodide. Cationic methyl and subsequently acetyl complexes were obtained, from which a selection was studied with regard to formation of free or metal bound ketene in the presence of a base.