The electronic effects induced by p-substituents on the phenyl ring of several novel cross-conjugated carbonyl compounds [4-p-R-phenyl-1-(1,3-dithiolane-2-ylidene)-3 E-butene-2-one, where R= NO2, Cl, Br, OMe, NEt2 (2-6),] and their reactivity towards Fe2(CO)9 have been studied using a Hammett plot. The structure of two compounds (3 and 4b) was fully established by X-ray diffraction analysis.
iron(0) complexes; C-S bond activation; reactivity; Hammett plot; X-ray diffraction