Tetrametallic clusters (Ir2Rh2) through an ancillary ortho-carborane-1,2-dichalcogenolato ligands

Abstract

The tetrametallic cluster complexes {Cp*Ir[E₂C₂(B₁₀H₉)]}Rh₂(cod){Cp*Ir[E₂C₂ (B₁₀H₁₀)]} (E = S (3a); Se (3b)) have been synthesized by reactions of the 16-electron half-sandwich iridium complexes [Cp*Ir{E₂C₂(B₁₀H₁₀)}] [Cp* = η⁵-C₅Me₅, E = S (1a), Se (1b)] with [Rh(cod)(µ-OEt)₂] at room temperature in toluene solution. In the solid state, this tetrametallic cluster exhibits an irregular nearly planar metal skeleton with the two carborane dichalcogenolato ligands bridging the four metal centers from both sides of the tetrametallic plane. Even though all metal atoms coordinate bridging chalcogen atoms, they show different electronic and coordination environments. The molecular structures of 3a and 3b have been determined by X-ray crystallography.