Flyover complex

In organometallic chemistry, a flyover complex features two metals bridged by the fragment OC(RC=CR)2.

Common examples are the iron carbonyl derivatives, which are typically air-stable, soluble in nonpolar solvents, and red-orange in color.

[2] These diiron complexes arise by the reaction of alkynes with iron carbonyls.

Such reactions are known to generate many products, e.g. complexes of cyclopentadienones and para-quinones.

They insert alkynes en route to tropones (R6C7O).

Structure of the flyover complex Fe 2 (C 4 H 4 CO)(CO) 6 , which has idealized C 2 -symmetry.
Structure of an asymmetrical flyover complex (C 5 H 5 ) 2 Fe 2 [(CCF 3 ) 4 CO]CO. The Fe-Fe bond length is 258.8 picometers . [ 1 ]