An unusual example of spontaneous carbon monoxide elimination at room temperature in a cluster compound. Synthesis and characterization of the two unsaturated anions [Re3H3(CO)n(AuPPh3)]–(n= 9 or 10) and X-ray structure of [Re3(µ-H)3(CO)9(µ-3AuPPh3)]–

Abstract

The reaction of [Re₃(µ-H)₃(CO)₁₀]^2– with AuClPPh₃ at low temperature affords the unstable [Re₃(µ-H)₃(CO)₁₀(µ-AuPPh₃)]^– which at room temperature readily loses CO giving the 44-electron triangular species [Re₃(µ-H)₃(CO)₉(µ-₃AuPPh₃)]^–, with mean Re–Re and Re–Au bond lengths of 2.894 and 2.837 Å, as determined by X-ray crystallography.