The pentanuclear Fe ii cluster [(C 5 H 4 ) 6 Fe 5 ] 2− : bringing together ferrocene sandwiches and homoleptic Fe ii -cyclopentadienyl σ-complexes

Reaction of [(fc)3(Li)6.(TMEDA)2] with FeCl2 gives the pentanuclear iron complex [(fc)3(Fe)2(Li)2.(TMEDA)2] featuring two ferra[1]ferrocenophane moieties bridged by a 1,1'-ferrocenediyl unit; the non-ferrocene Fe(II) ions are tetra-coordinate and adopt a high-spin state.