Unusual reaction of tricarbonyl(o-quinodimethane)iron with o-lithiobenzyldimethylamine: crystal structure of [Fe{Me2NCH2C6H4C(OEt)CH2C6H4CH2}(CO)3]

The reaction of [Fe{o-(CH2)2C6H4}(CO)3]1 with o-LiC6H4CH2NMe2, in Et2O at low temperature, followed by alkylation of the acylmetallate intermediate formed with [Et3O]BF4 in aqueous solution at 0 °C gives a novel chelated isomerized carbene complex [[graphic omitted]H2}(CO)3]2 whose structure is established by X-ray crystallography.