Dinitrogen addition to c-C5H5Fe+, C6H6Fe+ and FeO+ in the gas phase

Results of an experimental study using the selection-ion flow tube technique are reported for reactions of bare Fe+ and iron containing FeX+ cations (X = C6H6 (or B), c-C5H5 (or Cp), O, (Cp)2, B2) with dinitrogen at 294 ± 3 K and at a helium buffer-gas pressure of 0.35±0.01 Torr. Fe+, B2Fe+ and Cp2Fe+ do not react with dinitrogen. A very slow sequential addition of two N2 molecules was observed with FeO+. CpFe+ and BFe+ reacted without the subsequent addition of a second N2 molecule. These results provide insight into the bonding of N2 as a ligand with Fe as the coordination centre in the gas-phase, and into intrinsic kinetic aspects of dinitrogen addition.