The synthesis and reactivity of the heptanuclear dianion [Os7(CO)20]2− including the synthesis and structural characterizations of the compounds [Os7(CO)20(AuPEt)3 2] and [Os8(CO)20(η6-C6H6]

Abstract

Reduction of the heptaosmium cluster [Os7(CO)21] With [Et4N][NH4) gives the cluster dianion [Os7(CO)20]2−,1, in high yield. The reaction of the dianion with [AuPR 3Cl] (R=Et or Ph) in the presence of TlPF6 forms [Os7((CO)20(AuPR 3)2] [R=Et (2a);R = Ph(2b)] in 80% yield, while the corresponding reaction with (Os(C6H6)(CH3CN)3]2+ gives [Os8(CO)20 (η 6-C6H6)] (3) in reasonable yield (ca. 30%). The dianion,1, and the clusters2 and3 have been fully characterized by bout spectroscopic and crystallographic methods. The crystal structure of the [Ph4P]+ salt of1 shows that the metals in the anion adopt a capped octahedral geometry, with all twenty carbonyl ligands in terminal sites. The metal core geometry in2a is best described as a tricapped octahedron, and is based on the structure of the dianion1 with two adjacent octahedral faces capped by the Au atoms of the two AuPEt3 groups. In a similar fashion, the geometry of3 is related to that of1 with the addition of an Os(C6H6) unit capped to a triangular face, to give a bicapped octahedral framework.