Mixed Ruthenium - Rhodium Carbonyl Cluster Complexes. Synthesis of the Anions [Ru3Rh(CO)13]- and [RuRh3(CO)12]- and Crystal Structures of Their [N(PPh3)2]+ Salts

The new anion [Ru3Rh(CO)(13)](-) (1) has been obtained by reaction of [Rh(CO)(4)](-) ([N(PPh3)(2)](+) or [PPh4](+) salt) with Ru-3(CO)(12); [RuRh3(CO)(12)](-) (2) has been derived by oxidative degradation of [RuRh4(CO)(12)](2-). Their salts, [N(PPh3)(2)] [Ru3Rh(CO)(13)] (I) and [N(PPh3)(2)] [RuRh3(CO)(12)] (II), were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Data for I: space group P (1) over bar, a = 9.827(2) Angstrom, b = 14.911(2) Angstrom, c = 18.735(3) Angstrom, alpha = 110.53(1)degrees, beta = 99.79(2)degrees, gamma = 91.85(2)degrees, R1 = 0.0342, wR2 = 0.0926 for 7257 independent reflections with I > 3 sigma(I). Data for II: space group P2(1)/c, a = 14.746(3) Angstrom, b = 21.395(4) Angstrom, c = 16.140(4) Angstrom, beta = 102.95(2)degrees, R1 = 0.0582, wR2 = 0.1383 for 4381 independent reflections with I > 3 sigma(I). Both anions have a tetrahedral metal frame; 1 has an idealized C-3 symmetry, with the Rh atom and its unique terminal carbonyl on the 3-fold axis; nine more carbonyls are terminally bonded to the three Ru atoms, while three bridge the Ru-Rh edges. In 2, which has an idealized C-s symmetry, three carbonyls are terminally bound on the Ru atom, and one, one, and two CO, respectively, on Rh1, Rh2, and Rh3; five more CO bridge all edges but the Ru-Rh3 edge. It is worthy of note that subtle details of the CO ligands stereochemistry allowed the correct labeling of metal centers, otherwise indistinguishable on the basis of good quality X-ray diffraction data only. Compound 1 reacts with PPh3, yielding the rhodium-substituted [Ru3Rh(CO)(12)(PPh3)](-) (1a) (P-31 NMR; 56.9 ppm (d), J(P-Rh) = 188 Hz). C-13 NMR spectrum of 1 is a doublet (207 ppm, J(C-Rh) = 17.5 Hz) consistently with a fluxional behavior with complete CO scrambling, from 295 down to 170 K.