The syntheses of the parent compounds [{
p-Bu
t-calix[4]-(O)
2(OR)
2}Fe-L] [R = Me, L = THF,
5; R = Bu
n,L = THF,
6; R = PhCH
2, L = THF,
7; R = SiMe
3, L = none,
8] have been performed by reacting the protonatedform of the dia
lkylcalix[4]arene with [Fe
2Mes
4] [Mes = 2,4,6-Me
3C
6H
2]. All of them undergo one-electron oxidativefunctionalization. By use of different oxidizing agents, the following iron(III) derivatives have been obtained:[{
p-Bu
t-calix[4]-(O)
2(OR)
2}Fe-X] [X = Cl, R = Me,
9; X = I, R = Me,
10] and [{
p-Bu
t-calix[4]-(O)
2(OR)
2}
2Fe
2(
-X] [X = O, R = Me,
11; X = O, R = Bu
n,
12; X = S, R = Me,
13],
9 and
10 being particularlyappropriate for a further functionalization of the metal. The last three display typical antiferromagnetic behavior[
J = -78.6 cm
-1,
11;
J = -64.1 cm
-1,
13]. In the case of
7 and
8, the reaction with O
2 led to the dea
lkylationof one of the a
lkoxo groups, with the formation of a dimeric iron(III) derivative {[
-
p-Bu
t-calix[4]-(O)
3(OR)}
2Fe
2][R = PhCH
2,
14; R = SiMe
3,
15] [
J = -9.8 cm
-1]. The reaction of the parent compounds with Bu
tNC anddiazoa
lkanes led to the formation of [Fe=C] functionalities supported by a calix[4]arene oxo surface. The followingcompounds have been isolated and characterized: {[
p-Bu
t-calix[4]-(O)
2(OR)
2}Fe=CNBu
t] [R = SiMe
3,
16,
CN = 2175 cm
-1], {[
p-Bu
t-calix[4]-(O)
2(OR)
2}Fe=CPh
2] [R = Me,
17; R = PhCH
2,
18; R = SiMe
3,
19]. Thethree carbene complexes
17-
19 display quite an unusual high-spin state, which is a consequence of the formationof a weak
interaction between the metal and the carbene carbon, as confirmed by the extended H&
uuml;ckel calculations.The carbene functionality has been removed from the iron center in the reaction with O
2 and HCl. The proposedstructures have been supported by X-ray analyses of complexes
8,
9,
12,
14,
16,
17, and
19.