Iron-Sulfur Clusters with SiMe(2)-Bridged Cyclopentadienyl Ligands: [Me(2)Si(eta(5)-C(5)H(4))(2)](2)Fe(5)S(12), [Me(2)Si(eta(5)-C(5)H(4))(2)](2)Fe(4)S(6), and [Me(2)Si(eta(5)-C(5)H(4))(2)](2)Fe(4)S(6)(CO).

The synthesis and characterization of iron-sulfur clusters stabilized by dimethylsilyl-bridged cyclopentadienyl groups are reported. The thermal reaction of Me(2)Si(eta(5)-C(5)H(4))(2)Fe(2)(CO)(4) (1) with S(8) yields the tetranuclear cubane-type cluster compound [Me(2)Si(eta(5)-C(5)H(4))(2)](2)Fe(4)S(6) (4) and the pentanuclear cluster compound [Me(2)Si(eta(5)-C(5)H(4))(2)](2)Fe(5)S(12) (3) in high yields. The photochemical reaction of 1 with S(8) yields the tetranuclear cluster compound [Me(2)Si(eta(5)-C(5)H(4))(2)](2)Fe(4)S(6)(CO) (5), which contains one residual terminal carbonyl.