Facile oxidative addition of diphenylphosphine to the pentanuclear cluster Ru5(CO)13(µ4-η2-C2Ph)(µ-PPh2) without CO loss: X-ray crystal structure of the 78-electron complex (µ-H)Ru5(CO)13(µ4-η2-C2Ph)(µ-PPh2)2

Abstract

Diphenylphosphine adds readily to the 74-electron species [Ru₅(CO)₁₃(µ₄-η²-C₂Ph)(µ-PPh₂)](1) affording, via 4-electron addition without CO loss, the 78-electron bis-phosphido cluster [(µ-H)Ru₅(CO)₁₃(µ₄-η²-C₂Ph)(µ-PPh₂)₂](2) whose ‘bow tie’ structure has been determined by X-ray crystallography.