Butterfly diradical intermediates in photochemical reactions of Fe2(CO)6(mu-S2).

Photolysis of the tetrahedrane Fe2(CO)6(mu-S2) at 450 +/- 35 nm in a Nujol matrix at low temperatures gives an isomer characterized by its nu(CO) infrared frequencies. Comparison of these experimental frequencies with those calculated by density functional theory using the BP86 functional indicates this photoisomer to be the butterfly singlet diradical Fe2(CO)6S2 isomer in which the S-S bond of the tetrahedrane is broken but the Fe-Fe bond is retained. Photolysis at higher energies (420-280 nm) results in CO loss from this singlet butterfly diradical as indicated again by comparison of the experimental infrared nu(CO) frequencies with those calculated for an Fe2(CO)5S2 isomer of this type.