Carbene complexes from coordinated bis(diphenylphosphino)methane. Synthesis and X-ray structure determination of the remarkable heterotrimetallic derivative [{Fe(CNPh)4((PPh2)2C)}2Hg]I2

The bis(diphenylphosphino)methanide complexes fac-[Mn(CNBut)(CO)3{(PPh2)2CH}]1a and [Fe(CNPh)4{(PPh2)2CH}]ClO41b react with HgI2 and KOH to give the heterotrimetallic bis(carbene)derivatives fac-[{Mn(CNBut)(CO}3((PPh2)2C)}2 Hg]4a and [{Fe(CNPh)4[(PPh2)2C]}2 Hg]I24b, respectively; the structure of 4b has been determined by X-ray analysis.