Redox–chemical core manipulation of [Os18Hg3C2(CO)42]2–; synthesis and crystal structure of the cluster [Os18Hg2C2(CO)42]4–
Abstract
The extrusion of metallic mercury from [Os18Hg3C2(CO)42]2–1 by reduction has been studied and the tetraanionic cluster [Os18Hg2C2(CO)42]4–3 isolated and characterised. The structure of the [N(PPh3)2]+ salt of 3 has been established by a single-crystal X-ray structure analysis. Oxidation of 3 with [Fe(η5-C5H5)2]BF4 yielded the corresponding tri- and di-anionic clusters 4 and 2. The clusters 1–4 were found to be interrelated by reversible photochemical and redox–chemical transformations. This reactive behaviour is reflected in the results of an electrochemical study of 1 by cyclic voltammetry.