Rhombic Dodecahedral Ag₈M₆ (M = Cu, Ag, Au) Cluster Complexes of Ferrocenylethynyl Prepared by Reaction of (AgC⋮CFc)<i>_n</i> with [M₂(Ph₂PNHPh₂)₂(MeCN)₂]²⁺ (M = Cu, Ag, Au)

Abstract

Reaction of the polymeric silver ferrocenylacetylide (AgC⋮CFc)n with [M2(Ph2PNHPPh2)2(MeCN)2]2+ (M = Cu, Ag, Au) gave rise to the isolation of rhombic dodecahedral AgI8MI6 cage complexes together with the unusual 1,2,5-azadiphospholium product [FcCCH(Ph2PNPPh2)](BF4) by the cyclic addition of FcC⋮C to Ph2PNHPPh2. Distinct redox wave splitting occurs in the AgI8CuI6 cage complex with ΔE1/2 = 0.15 V due to successive oxidation of the Fc groups, induced probably by electronic interactions between iron centers in the ferrocenylacetylides.