Iron(II) and iron(III) complexes of 3,5-dimethyl diphenyldithiophosphate: synthesis, characterization and single-crystal X-ray analysis

3,5-Dimethyl diphenyldithiophosphate complexes of Fe(II) and Fe(III), formulated as [{(3,5-(CH3)2C6H3O)2PS2}2Fe{NC5H4(C2H5)-4}2] (1) and [{(3,5-(CH3)2C6H3O)2PS2}3Fe] (2), have been synthesized and characterized by physicochemical, spectroscopic and single-crystal X-ray analysis. The crystal structure of complex 1 reveals mononuclear units with the Fe(II) center chelated in bidentate fashion by four S atoms of the two diphenyldithiophosphate ligands. The N atoms from two donor ligands are axially coordinated, leading to octahedral geometry around Fe(II). In complex 2, the coordination around the Fe(III) atom is best described as distorted octahedral, formed by six S atoms from the three chelating diphenyldithiophosphate ligands. The main core of the system is comprised of four-membered (FeS2P)3 heteroatomic rings and Fe(III) centers.