Shahbano Ali, Antony J. Deeming, Graeme Hogarth, Nikesh A. Mehta and Jonathan W. Steed
Replacement of a CO ligand by MeCN in the capped clusters [M3(µ-H)2(µ3-X)(CO)9] (M = Ru, X = NSO2C6H4Me-4 or M = Os, X = S) allows reductive coupling of alkynes (RCCH, R = H or Ph) to give regioselectively the 1,3-diene clusters [M3(C4H4R2)(µ3-X)(CO)8], with the diene µ-η2,η2-coordinated for ruthenium and η4 for osmium.