Iridium Cluster Chemistry: The Synthesis and the Solid-State Structure of [Ir11(CO)23]3−

Abstract

The cluster [Ir11(CO)23]3− was obtained by reaction of [Ir10(CO)21]2− and [Ir(CO)4]− in refluxing MeCN, and its solid-state structure was determined on the salt [NEt4]3[Ir11(CO)23]. The metallic framework of D3h symmetry is composed by three face-fused octahedra, all sharing a common edge. The cluster contains 9 edge bridging and 14 terminal carbonyl ligands, a disposition different from that of the two isomeric forms of the isoelectronic [Rh11(CO)23]3−, both having, in the solid-state, more edge-bridging COs. Naked clusters of non-transition metals, found in binary and ternary materials, such as Cs11O3, display very similar trioctahedral polyedra.