Complete ligand substitution and oxidation of the metal center in the photochemical reaction of CpM(CO)I (M = Fe, Ru) with chelating β-diketones.

The visible-light irradiation of solutions of CpFe(CO)I (Cp = (η-CH)), acetylacetone (or other β-diketones), and diisopropylamine in toluene led to the substitution of all ligands with β-diketonate anions and the oxidation of Fe to Fe. The only product was Fe(β-diketonate), which exclusively formed even when using an equimolar ratio of CpFe(CO)I and diketone. The reaction occurred under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions.