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.