A novel fused metallaborane cluster formed via gold-phosphorus bond cleavage: the crystal structure of [{HFe4(CO)12BH}2Au][Au(PPh2Me)2]

Abstract

A product of the reaction of [HFe₄(CO)₁₂BH][(Ph₃P)₂N] with Me₂PhPAuCl or MePh₂PAuCl is the cluster [{HFe₄(CO)₁₂BH}₂Au][AuL₂](L = PPh₂Me or PPhMe₂), the anion of which contains two tetrairon butterfly, boron containing, fragments linked by a naked gold atom; the formation of the linked product rather than a simple monogold(I) derivative of type [HFe₄(CO)₁₂{Au(PR₃}BH] is shown to depend upon the phosphine substituent.