Homo- and heterobimetallic transition metal cluster derived from [Cp*Fe(η5-E5)] (E = P, As) – unprecedented structural motifs of the resulting polypnictogen ligands

Abstract

A general synthetic procedure to neutral homo- and heterobimetallic cage compounds exhibiting various structural motifs of the polypnictogen ligands starting from [Cp*Fe(η⁵-E₅)] (E = P (1), As (2); Cp* = C₅Me₅) is reported. The impact of the implemented transition metal precursors {Cp′′′M} (M = Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni; Cp′′′ = 1,2,4-tBu₃C₅H₂) emphasises the variability of the isolated complexes exhibiting a broad variety of structural motifs of the pnictogen ligands. Spectroscopic, crystallographic, and theoretical investigations provide insight into the structure of the partially unprecedented polypnictogen ligands.