Reactions of alkyl–iron(II) and -ruthenium(II) complexes with B(C6F5)3 and its water adducts. X-ray structure of a cyclometallated-iron(II) carbene

The reactions of cis,trans-[M(CO)2(PMe3)2CH3I] [M=Fe (1), Ru (2)] and cis,trans,cis-[Fe(CO)2(PMe3)2(CH3)2] (3) with B(C6F5)3 involve Me-abstraction from the metal with formation of reactive species that undergo decomposition processes. In the presence of H2O complex 2 reacts with B(C6F5)3 forming cis,trans-[Ru(CO)2(PMe3)2I(HOB(C6F5)3)] (7) that slowly transforms in cis,trans-[Ru(CO)2(PMe3)2I(H2O)]+[(HOB(C6F5)3)]− (8), while complex 1 affords the cyclometallate complex trans-[Fe(CO)(PMe3)2I(C(Me)OB(C6F5)2OH)] (9) whose molecular structure was investigated by X-ray diffraction studies.