ABSTRACT: The use of the dialkene divinyltetramethyldisiloxane (dvtms) allows easy access to the reactive 16 valence-electron complexes [Fe0(L-L)(dvtms)], (L-L) = dppe (1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane), (1), dppp (1,2-bis(diisopropylphosphino)propane), (2), pyNMeP(iPr)2 (N-(diisopropylphosphino)-N-methylpyridin-2-amine), (4), dipe (1,2-bis(diisopropylphosphino)ethane), (5), and [Fe0(L)2(dvtms)], L = PMe3, (3), by a mild reductive route using AlEt2(OEt) as reducing agent. In contrast, by the same methodology, the 18 valence-electron complexes [Fe0(L-L)2(ethylene)], (L-L) = dppm (1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)methane), 6, (L-L) = dppa (1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)amin
