Influence of a pendant amine in the second coordination sphere on proton transfer at a dissymmetrically disubstituted diiron system related to the [2Fe]H subsite of [FeFe]H2ase.

Studies of the protonation of [Fe2(CO)4(kappa2-PNP)(mu-pdt)] (1; PNP = (Ph2PCH2)2NCH3) by HBF4.Et2O showed that the nature of the reaction product depends on whether the reaction is conducted in acetone or in dichloromethane. In acetone, an N-protonated form, 2, is isolated. Tautomerization of 2 in CH2Cl2 gives rise to a mu-hydride species 3. Variable-temperature NMR experiments have been performed to clarify the processes involved.