Isolation and characterisation by X-ray crystallography and Mössbauer measurements of [NEt4]3[Fe6W2S8(SPh)6(OMe)3], an iron–tungsten–sulphur cubic cluster dimer

Abstract

[NEt₄]₃[Fe₆W₂S₈(SPh)₆(OMe)₃] is the major product of the anaerobic reaction between [NH₄]₂[WS₄], FeCl₃, and NaSPh (1 : 3 : 12) in methanol followed by addition of excess of [NEt₄]Br, and a crystal structure determination has confirmed that the anion in this complex contains two {Fe₃WS₄} cubane-like clusters, with terminal benzenethiolato-ligands co-ordinated to the iron atoms, and three µ₂-methoxo-groups bridging the tungsten atoms; ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer measurements indicate that the iron atoms are nearly electronically equivalent.