An Iron(II) Complex of a Diamine-Bridged Bis-N-Heterocyclic Carbene

A diamine-bridged bis-N-heterocyclic carbene ligand was
synthesized
as imidazolium salts with chloride or triflate counteranions. Deprotonation
of the chloride salt by an iron bis-amide complex or addition of the
free diamine-bis-carbene ligand to FeCl2 led to the formation
of an Fe­(II) dichloride complex having a diamine-bis-carbene ligand,
in which the iron atom is in a highly distorted octahedral geometry
with weak Fe-N interactions. This iron complex was found to catalyze
the hydrosilylation of acetophenone.