Evidence for the formation of terminal hydrides by protonation of an asymmetric iron hydrogenase active site mimic.

Treatment of [Fe2(mu-pdt)(CO)6] [pdt=S(CH2)3S] with dppe (Ph2PCH2CH2PPh2) in refluxing toluene affords the asymmetric complex [Fe2(mu-pdt)(CO)4(dppe)] (1). Protonation of 1 with HBF4-Et2O in CH2Cl2 gives at room temperature the mu-hydrido derivative [Fe2(mu-pdt)(CO)4(dppe)(mu-H)](BF4) (2). Monitoring the reaction by 1H, 31P, and 13C NMR at low temperature reveals unambiguously that the process of the protonation of 1 implies terminal hydride intermediates.