Mixed-metal cluster compounds containing copper and/or silver atoms ligated by mono - or bi-dentate phosphines: a versatile high yield synthetic route

Abstract

A wide variety of mixed-metal cluster compounds containing one or two copper and/or silver atoms ligated by a large selection of mono -or bi-dentate phosphines can be synthesized in very good yield (ca. 70–80%) by first treating an appropriate preformed cluster mono-or di-anion with one or two equivalents, respectively, of the complex [M(NCMe)₄]PF₆(M = Cu or Ag) to incorporate the coinage metal(s) into the cluster in the form of M(NCMe) moieties and then attaching the desired phosphine in situ, by a ligand exchange reaction with the labile MeCN group(s) on the generally unstable intermediate species.