Photooxidation of bis(diethyldithiocarbamato)dicarbonyliron(II) in chloroform

The complex FeII(et2dtc)2(CO)2 with et2dtc− (diethyldithiocarbamate) in CHCl3 undergoes a photooxidation to FeIII(et2dtc)2Cl with a quantum yield of φ=0.0015 at λirr=366 nm. It is suggested that this photoreaction originates from a (FeII→π∗ (et2dtc−)) metal-to-ligand charge transfer or ligand-field excited state.