Di-iron aza diphosphido complexes: mimics for the active site of Fe-only hydrogenase, and effects of changing the coordinating atoms of the bridging ligand in [Fe2[mu-(ECH2)2NR](CO)6].

The bis(phosphido)-bridged complex [Fe(2)(mu-PPhH)(2)(CO)(6)] (1) undergoes double deprotonation to give the phosphorus-centered dianionic derivative [Fe(2)(mu-PPh)(2)(CO)(6)](2)(-) (2) which in turn reacts with the tertiary base RN(CH(2)Cl)(2) to give [Fe(2)[(PPhCH(2))(2)NR](CO)(6)] (3) in moderate yield. Treatment of 3 with HBF(4).Et(2)O affords the N-protonated species [Fe(2)[(PPhCH(2))(2)NHR](CO)(6)] BF(4) (4). The structural changes to the heavy atom skeleton of 3 arising from protonation are slight, the most obvious being a ca. 0.03 Alengthening of the N-C bonds.