Synthesis and crystallographic characterisation of [Ru7C(CO)16(C9H8)] and [Ru7C(CO)16(C12H12)]: facial π bonding and σ bonding from the same ring system

Abstract

The heptanuclear clusters [Ru₇C(CO)₁₆(C₉H₈)] and [Ru₇C(CO)₁₆(C₁₂H₁₂)] have been isolated from the reaction between [Ru₃(CO)₁₂] and isopropenyl- or 1,3-diisopropenyl-benzene and their crystal structures determined: the Ru₇ cores represent rare examples of spiked octahedra; the organo-ligands are bound through all four π bonds to a metal face and through two σ bonds to the ruthenium spike, donating a total of ten electrons.