An Unusual Cyclization in a Bis(cysteinyl‐<i>S</i>) Diiron Complex Related to the Active Site of Fe‐Only Hydrogenases

Abstract

Classical organometallic chemistry was used to prepare the dinuclear iron complex 1 with two protected cysteinyl-S ligands. Oxidative addition of the thiol to [Fe3(CO)12] gave complex 1, which undergoes an unusual intramolecular nucleophilic cyclization with inversion of the configuration to form the chiral carbon-bridged diiron complex 2.