Synthesis and characterisation of precursors to organometal cluster networks

Abstract

Thermolysis of triruthenium dodecacarbonyl in the presence of the appropriate dicyclic ligand C₆H₅(CH₂)_nPh in octane afford organometallic clusters with the general formula [Ru₆C(CO)₁₄{η⁶-C₆H₅(CH₂)_nPh}]. The molecular structures of the three octahedral cluster compounds (n= 0 1, 1 2 or 2 3) have been established by single-crystal X-ray analysis. In all three the ligand occupies an apical position formally replacing three carbonyl units on a single metal site of [Ru₆C(CO)₁₇]. Studies of the ¹H NMR spectra of compounds 1–3 have revealed a trend in electronic inductive effects. Thermolysis of [Ru₆C(CO)₁₇] in the presence of an excess of transstilbene afforded 3 and trans-[Ru₆C(CO)₁₄-{η⁶-C₆H₅(CH)₂Ph}]4 in good yield.