Auration of [Ru3(µ-H)(µ3-C2H)(CO)9]: tetrahedral and butterfly isomers of [AuRu3(µ-H)(µ3-HC2H)(CO)9(PPh3)] and related chemistry

Abstract

Treatment of [Ru₃(µ-H)(µ₃-C₂H)(CO)₉] 1 with K[BHBu^s₃] followed by auration with [AuCl(PPh₃)] gave the crystallographically characterised complexes [AuRu₃(µ-H)(µ₃-C₂H₂)(CO)₉(PPh₃)] 2, [Au₂Ru₃(µ₃-CCH₂)(CO)₉(PPh₃)₂] 3 and [Ru₃(µ-H){µ₃-CHCHC(OH)}(CO)₈(PPh₃)] 4. Complex 2 crystallises in a dark red form, in which the AuRu₃ core forms a tetrahedron, and a yellow form, in which the AuRu₃ core has a butterfly structure; the C₂H₂ ligand is 2η¹∶η² co-ordinated to the Ru₃ face in both. In 3 the Au₂Ru₃ core has a distorted square pyramidal conformation, with the CCH₂ ligand attached to the Ru₃ face. Complex 4 contains a hydroxyallyl ligand spanning the Ru₃ core.