Oxo ligands as assembling units in mixed-metal cluster chemistry: synthesis and X-ray structure of the bow-tie cluster [Mo 2Ru 3(μ-O) 2(μ 3-CPh)(μ-C 3Ph 3)(CO) 8(η-C 5H 5) 2

Abstract

The thermal reaction of [Mo 2Ru 3(μ-O) 2(μ 3-CPh)(μ-C 3Ph 3)(CO) 8(η-C 5H 5) 2] with [Ru 3(CO) 12] gives the pentanuclear cluster [Mo 2Ru 3(μ 3-O) 2(μ 3-CPh)(μ-C 3Ph 3)(CO) 8(η-C 5H 5) 2], which has been crystallographically characterised. The compound displays several unusual features: (j) a highly distorted bow-tie structure in which the two metal triangles are virtually perpendicular, (ii) the cleavage of the initial four carbon chain into a dimetalla-allyl fragment and an alkylidyne group; (iii) the presence of two triply-bridging oxo ligands; and (iv) the coordination of one of the phenyl groups of the C 3Ph 3 ligand to ruthenium.