Complexes as Catalytically Active Species

This section provides only a brief insight into iron-catalyzed reactions. Iron complexes as catalytically active species undergo typical steps of transition metal catalysis 

Pentacarbonyliron can catalyze the isomerization of double bonds under photochemical conditions. Using catalyst loadings as low as 1-5 mol%, this process proceeds smoothly for allyl alcohols, which isomerize to the corresponding saturated carbonyl compounds. 

Pentacarbonyliron has also been applied as catalyst for the reduction of nitroarenes by carbon monoxide and water to afford anilines [17, 83]. 

Me3Six /N—y Me3Si/ = Me3Six N- MesS v— Me3Six + /N- Me3Si y 

1 (a) A. J. Pearson, Metcdlo-organic Chemistry, Wiley, Chichester, 1985 (b) J. P. Collman, 

---