Search

A mechanism involving carbonyl-bridge breaking, rotation about the Fe–Fe bond, and bridge reformation is shown to account qualitatively for changes in the carbonyl region of the 13C n.m.r spectrum of the complex [(cp)(OC)[graphic omitted]e(cp){P(OEt)3}] and quantitatively for [(cp)(OC)[graphic omitted]e(CO)(cp)](cp =η-cyclopentadienyl).The activation energy for this process, 49.0 ± 4 kJ mol^–1(11.7 ± 1 kcal mol^–1), is close to that reported for cis–trans-isomerization of the cp groups, in accord with this mechanism. Variable-temperature 13C n.m.r. spectra of the complexes [(cp)(OC)[graphic omitted]u(CO)(cp)] and [(cp)(OC)[graphic omitted]i(cp)] are also reported.