Synthesis and characterisation of hexaruthenium carbido carbonyl clusters containing arenes derived from biphenyl

Abstract

Several hexaruthenium carbido clusters [Ru6C(CO)14(η6-C6H5C6H4Me)] 1a, [Ru6C(CO)14(η6-MeC6H4C6H5)] 1b, [Ru6C(CO)14(η6-C6H5C6H4Et)] 2a, [Ru6C(CO)14(η6-EtC6H4C6H5)] 2b, [Ru6C(CO)14(η6-C6H5C6H4Ph)] 3 and [Ru6C(CO)14(η6-C6H5C6H3Ph2)] 4 have been synthesized by the reaction of triruthenium dodecacarbonyl and the appropriate polycyclic hydrocarbon. The compounds have been fully characterised by a variety of methods including single-crystal X-ray diffraction for 1a, 1b and 2b. The supramolecular architectures of these three solid-state structures have also been examined. Selectivity of the cluster build-up reaction at different aryl sites is discussed.