Half-Sandwich (η 6 -Arene)iron(II) Dinitrogen Complexes Bearing a Disilaferracycle Skeleton as a Precursor for Double Silylation of Ethylene and Alkynes

Reaction of 2 equiv of 1,2-bis(dimethylsilyl)benzene with [Fe(mesityl) 2 ] 2 in aromatic solvent under a nitrogen atmosphere afforded the dinuclear bis(silyl)iron complexes [(η 6 -arene)Fe(Me 2 SiC 6 H 4 SiMe 2 )] 2 (μ-η 1:η 1 -N 2 ) ( 1 ), which have an end-on-bound bridging dinitrogen ligand. The dinitrogen unit easily dissociated from the Fe center to generate the mononuclear (η 6 -arene)Fe II (Si) 2 L or (η 6 -arene)Fe IV (Si) 2 H 2 complexes by the reactions with CO, PPh 3, and H 2 .