The preparation of some manganese–mercury cluster complexes and a study of their redistribution reactions

Abstract

The heterometallic cluster complexes [Mn₂(µ-HgPh)(µ-PPh₂)(CO)₈](2), [Mn₂(µ-HgCl)(µ-PPh₂)(CO)₈](3), and [Hg{Mn₂(µ-PPh₂)(CO)₈}₂](4) have been prepared by reaction of [N(PPh₃)₂][Mn₂(µ-PPh₂)(CO)₈](1) with, respectively, HgPhCl, HgCl₂, and Hg(CN)₂. Some redistribution reactions of (2), (3), and (4)(in which the Hg atom is three- or four-co-ordinate) have been investigated and are compared with previously studied redistribution reactions of transition-metal–mercury complexes containing two-co-ordinate mercury atoms.