Synthesis and X-ray Structure of the Carbido−Oxo Cluster Mo₂Ru₄(μ₆-C)(μ-O)(CO)₁₂Cp₂

Abstract

The unusual heterometallic carbido−oxo cluster Mo2Ru4(μ6-C)(μ-O)(CO)12Cp2 (Cp = η-C5H5) has been isolated in moderate yield from the reaction of Mo2(CO)4Cp2 with Ru3(CO)12 in refluxing toluene. The X-ray crystal structure of the complex unexpectedly reveals the presence of two isomeric molecules in the unit cell: both have octahedral metal cores with a carbon atom in the center and an oxo ligand bridging the molybdenum−molybdenum bond, but one molecule has two bridging carbonyl ligands on Mo−Ru edges whereas the other has two additional carbonyls weakly semibridging Ru−Ru edges.