Stereospecific and Reversible CO Binding at Iron Pincer Complexes

An opening for CO: An iron PNP pincer complex self-assembles in the solid state through intermolecular FeCl⋅⋅⋅HN hydrogen bonds to form a 3D supramolecular network. This compound reacts readily with gaseous CO in the solid state and in solution to stereospecifically give the octahedral complexes cis- and trans-[Fe(PNP-iPr)(CO)(Cl)2], respectively. In the solid-state process the supramolecular connectivities between individual molecules are maintained without loss of crystallinity.