Dalton communications. Rhenium–iridium clusters via addition of [Ir(CO)4]– to [Re2(µ-H)2(CO)8]

Abstract

The unsaturated molecule [Re₂(µ-H)₂(CO)₈] adds [Ir(CO)₄]^– at –80 °C to give the anion [(OC)₄HRe(µ-H)Re(CO)₄Ir(CO)₄]^–, which at higher temperatures transforms into the triangular cluster [Re₂IrH₂(CO)₁₁]^–; the latter, by reductive coupling with itself or with [ReH(CO)₅], affords [{Re₂Ir(µ-H)(CO)₁₁}₂]^2– and [Re₃Ir(µ-H)(CO)₁₆]^–, respectively, which have been characterized by X-ray diffraction.