PNNL

Abstract

We report a photoelectron spectroscopic study of doubly charged (?5C5H4CO2-)Fe(?5-C5H4CO2-) (1) and singly charged (?5C5H4CO2-)Fe(?5C5H4CO2H) (2). It is shown that strong intramolecular coulomb repulsion keeps 1 in the trans-form, in which the two –CO2- groups on the cyclopentadieny ligands are oriented opposite to each other, whereas 2 assumes the cis-form owing to a strong intramolecular H-bond. We estimate a rotational barrier of 1.4 eV for 1 and 0.6 eV for 2. A proton transfer to 1 would result in a 112° intramolecular rotation, whereas deportation of 2 would result in a similar intramolecular rotation. Thus 1 and 2 form a model molecular rotor system, controlled by a proton transfer.