Photochemical reactions of [cis-Fe(H) 2 (Me 2 PCH 2 CH 2 PMe 2 ) 2 ] with thiophenes: insertion into C–H and C–S bonds

Photolysis of [cis-Fe(H)2(dmpe)2][dmpe = 1,2-bis(dimethylphosphino)ethane] in the presence of simple thiophenes gives products formed by insertion of the iron centre into both C–H and C–S bonds; the crystal structure of [[graphic omitted]H)(dmpe)2] is a planar ‘ferrathiacycle’ but bond lengths and 1H NMR spectroscopy indicate that this ring is best described as a localised diene structure rather than a ‘ferrathiabenzene’ with delocalised π-system.