Synthesis of Bis(phosphino)silyl Pincer-Supported Iron Hydrides for the Catalytic Hydrogenation of Alkenes

The synthesis and characterization of Fe pincer complexes supported by a bis(phosphino)silyl (PSiP) ligand are described. While four-coordinate species of the type (PSiP)FeX (X = halide) proved challenging to access, examples of five-coordinate (PSiP)Fe(II) and (PSiP)Fe(I) species were prepared and crystallographically characterized. In studying the reactivity of such (PSiP)Fe precursors, a variety of iron hydride species were observed and characterized, and interconversion among such complexes facilitated by the coordination of N-2 was noted. The structures and spectroscopic features of several such diamagnetic Fe(II) hydrides were elucidated, including that of a unique and highly stable eta(2)-(Si-H)Fe(II) dihydride complex. A surrogate for a low coordinate (PSiP)FeH species in the form of its bis(dinitrogen) adduct was found to be an effective precatalyst for the direct hydrogenation of alkenes, including various mono- and disubstituted aliphatic alkenes, as well as a trisubstituted example. Esters and ethers were found to be well-tolerated by the catalyst, and alkyne hydrogenation was also demonstrated.