Molecular organization and dynamic behaviour of arene cluster complexes in the solid state. Crystal structures of [Os4H2(CO)10(η6-C6H5Me)], [Os4H2(CO)10(η6-C6H4Me2)] and [Ru6C(CO)14(η6-C6H3Me3-1,3,5)]

Abstract

The molecular organization in crystals of the tetranuclear arene clusters [Os₄H₂(CO)₁₀(η⁶-arene)](arene = C₆H₆, C₆H₅Me, C₆H₄Me₂-o or -m) and of the hexanuclear species [Ru₆C(CO)₁₄(η⁶-C₆H₅Me)], [Ru₆C(CO)₁₄(η⁶-C₆H₃Me₃-1,3,5)] and [Ru₆C(CO)₁₁(µ₃-η² : η² : η²-C₆H₆)(η⁶-C₆H₆)] has been investigated by means of packing potential-energy calculations and computer graphics analysis. Attention is focused on the relationship between the shape, size and geometry of these molecules and the ease of reorientational motion of the arene fragments in the solid state. The crystal structures of [Os₄H₂(CO)₁₀(η⁶-C₆H₅Me)] and [Os₄H₂(CO)₁₀(η⁶-C₆H₄Me₂)] have been determined by X-ray diffraction and that of [Ru₆C(CO)₁₄(η⁶-C₆H₃Me₃-1,3,5)] redetermined.