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An octahedral coordination complex of iron(VI).
John F Berry1, Eckhard Bill, Eberhard Bothe
1Max-Planck-Institut für Bioanorganische Chemie, Stiftstrasse 34-36, D-45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany.
Researchers synthesized a new iron(VI) compound with an octahedral structure and a nitrido ligand. This discovery expands the known chemistry of high-valent iron, offering new insights into iron oxidation states.
Area of Science:
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Photochemistry
- Materials Science
Background:
- The highest accessible oxidation state for iron is hexavalent (Fe(VI)).
- Previously, Fe(VI) was known only in the tetrahedral ferrate dianion (FeO4(2-)).
Purpose of the Study:
- To report the photochemical synthesis of a novel Fe(VI) compound.
- To characterize the structure and electronic properties of this new Fe(VI) species.
Main Methods:
- Photochemical synthesis.
- Mössbauer spectroscopy.
- X-ray absorption spectroscopy.
- Density functional theory (DFT) calculations.
Main Results:
- A new Fe(VI) compound with octahedral coordination was synthesized.
- The compound features a terminal nitrido ligand (FeN triple bond).
- Spectroscopic and DFT data indicate a singlet d2(xy) ground electronic configuration.
- The compound is stable at 77 K and decomposes to Fe(III) upon warming.
Conclusions:
- This work expands the known chemistry of hexavalent iron beyond tetrahedral species.
- The discovery of an octahedral Fe(VI) nitrido complex provides new avenues for high-valent iron research.
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