Pentamethylcyclopentadienylselenium derivatives: synthesis and X-ray crystal structures of [M(CO)5{Se2(σ-C5Me5)2}](M = Cr, W)

Abstract

Bis(pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)selenium reacts with sources of M(CO)₅(M = Cr, W) fragments, to yield complexes of the diselenide Se₂(σ-C₅H₅)₂, which are characterised spectroscopically and by X-ray crystallography: these are the first examples of selenide to diselenide reduction within the coordination sphere of a transition metal, and the first structures of complexes containing a terminal diselenide ligand to be reported.