Novel hexanuclear ruthenium clusters with unusual metal framework geometries: ‘boat’ and ‘sofa’ configurations of the Ru6 core

Abstract

The thermal reaction of [Ru₃(CO)₁₂] with the thioureas SC(NHR)₂(R = Et or Ph) in tetrahydrofuran at 130 °C has been studied. With the ethyl substituent, the hexanuclear cluster [Ru₆(CO)₁₄(µ-CO)₂(µ₄-S)(µ₃-η²-EtNCSNHEt)(µ₃-η²-EtNCNHEt)] has been isolated and structurally characterized: the molecule presents an unusual Ru₆ framework analogous to the boat conformation of cyclohexane. With the phenyl substituent, another hexanuclear cluster [Ru₆(CO)₁₆(µ-H)(µ₅-S)(µ₃-η²-PhNCSNHPh)] has been isolated, the molecular structure of which reveals a previously unreported Ru₆ metal core reminiscent of the sofa conformation of cyclohexane.