HRu3(CO)8(PPh3)B2H5: crystallographic confirmation of the first M3B2-containing analogue of pentaborane(9)

Abstract

Photolysis of [HRu₃(CO)₉B₂H₅] with PPh₃ gives the monosubstituted derivative [HRu₃(CO)₈(PPh₃)B₂H₅] in good yield; the molecular structure of this compound is determined and the results confirm that [HRu₃(CO)₈(PPh₃)B₂H₅] is an analogue of [B₅H₉] in which three {BH} units have been replaced by three isolobal {Ru(CO)₂L}(L = CO or PPh₃) fragments, as such, it is the first structurally characterised member of the M₃B₂-class of compound in the series {ML_n}_x{BH}_5–xH₄(M = transition metal; ML_n= two-electron cluster fragment).