Chemistry of polynuclear compounds. Part VII. The mass spectra of some polynuclear metal carbonyl complexes

Abstract

The mass spectra of the carbonyls Mn₂(CO)₁₀, Re₂(CO)₁₀, Fe₃(CO)₁₂, and Ru₃(CO)₁₂ are reported and discussed in terms of the structures. The presence of the species Fe(CO)₅⁺ in the spectrum of iron dodecacarbonyl favours a bridging carbonyl structure. The spectra of a series of mononuclear phosphine-carbonyl complexes of molybdenum and tungsten, and halogen-carbonyl complexes of manganese have been studied to establish the fragmentation pattern of these compounds. Preferential loss of carbon monoxide occurs from the phosphine complexes, whilst for the halogen-carbonyl either halogen or carbonyl groups may be lost. In contrast, for the binuclear halogen-carbonyls of manganese, primary loss of carbon monoxide occurs. The mass spectra of a series of phosphine-manganese tetracarbonyl complexes and the compounds [C₅H₅Mo(CO)₃]₂, [C₅H₅Fe(CO)₂]₂, Ph₃SnMn(CO)₅, Ph₃SnFe(CO)₄, Ph₃SnFe(C₅H₅)(CO)₂, Cl₂Sn[Fe(CO)₂(C₅H₅)]₂, and Hg[Fe(CO)₂(C₅H₅)]₂ are also reported.