Synthesis and Characterization of Stable Iron Pentacarbonyl Radical Cation Salts.

The open-shell iron pentacarbonyl cation [Fe(CO) ] was isolated by deelectronation, i.e., the single-electron oxidation of the parent neutral Fe(CO) using [phenazine ] as the [Al(OR ) ] and [F-{Al(OR ) } ] salt (R =C(CF ) ; phenazine =perfluoro-5,10-bis(perfluorophenyl)-5,10-dihydrophenazine). [Fe(CO) ] [Al(OR ) ] was fully characterized (scXRD analysis, IR, NMR, EPR, Fe spectroscopy, CV and SQUID magnetization study) and, apart from being a compound of fundamental interest, may serve as a precursor for low-valent iron coordination chemistry.