Synthesis and characterization of triosmium and triruthenium pyrene clusters

The reaction between 1-pyrenecarboxaldehyde (C₁₆H₉CHO) and the labile triosmium cluster [Os₃(CO)₁₀(CH₃CN)₂] gives rise to the formation of two new compounds by competitive oxidative addition between the aldehydic group and an arene C-H bond, to afford the acyl complex [Os₃(CO)₁₀(μ-H)(μ-COC₁₆H₉)] (1) and the compound [Os₃(CO)₁₀(μ-H) (C₁₆H₈CHO)] (2), respectively. Thermolysis of [Os₃(CO)₁₀(μ-H)(μ-C₁₆H₉CO)] (1) in n-octane affords two new complexes in good yields, [Os₃(CO)₉(μ-H)₂(μ-COC₁₆H₈)] (3) and the pyryne complex [Os₃(CO)₉(μ-H)₂(μ₃-η¹:η¹:η²-C₁₆H₈)] (4).In contrast, when 1-pyrenecarboxaldehyde reacts with [Ru₃(CO)₁₂] only one product is obtained, [Ru₃(CO)₉(μ-H)₂(μ₃-η¹:η¹:η²-C₁₆H₈)] (5), a nonacarbonyl cluster bearing a pyrene ligand. All compounds were characterized by analytical and spectroscopic data, and crystal structures for 1, 2, 4 and 5 were obtained.