Low-valent iron: an Fe(I) ate compound as a building block for a linear trinuclear Fe cluster

A low-valent trinuclear iron complex with an unusual linear Fe(I)–Fe(II)–Fe(I) unit is presented. It is accessed in a rational approach using a salt metathesis reaction between a new anionic Fe(I) containing heterocycle and FeCl2. Its electronic structure was studied by single crystal XRD analysis, EPR and Mossbauer spectroscopy, and magnetic susceptibility measurements.