Abstract

The title compound, [2(1,2,3,3a,6a-?)-1,4-dihydropentalenyl][?-(1,2,3,3a,6a-?:3a,4,5,6, 6a-?)pentalene]-[1(?5)-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl]diiron, [Fe2(C8H7)-(C10H 15)(C8H6)], has a metallocenic structure with the two pentalene ligands adopting an eclipsed conformation. In the central pentalene ligand, all the peripheral bonds are of similar length whereas the bridge bond is longer; there are two significantly different Fe - C distances, i.e. a mean value of 2.121 (3) Å for the Fe - Cbridge distances and a mean value of 2.028 (3) Å for the distances from the Fe atoms to all other C atoms. In the terminal pentalene ligand, the C - C and C - Fe distances in the ring bonded to the Fe atom are all similar.