The reaction of Ru3(CO)12 and Os3(CO)12 with PH2Ph; the x-ray crystal structures of HRu3(CO)10(PHPh) and H2Ru3(CO)9(PPh)

Twelve new trinuclear complexes containing terminal PH₂Ph, edge-bridging PHPh and/or capping PPh ligands have been isolated from the reaction of M₃(CO)₁₂ (M = Ru or Os) with PH₂Ph in refluxing solvents. HRu₃(CO)₁₀(PHPh) (IIIa) crystallises in the monoclinic space group P2₁/c with a = 8.761(3), b = 11.402(4), c = 22.041(7) Å,β = 98.89(2)°, and Z = 4. The structure was solved by a combination of direct methods and Fourier difference techniques, and refined by blocked-cascade least squares to R = 0.027 for 3676 unique observed intensities. The X-ray analysis shows that one edge of the Ru₃ triangle is bridged by a hydride and the PHPh ligand, and that the phosphorus-bound hydrogen atom lies over the metal triangle and the phenyl group away from it. This provides an explanation for the ready formation of the capped species H₂Ru₃(CO)₉(PPh) (Va) on pyrolysis of the edge-bridged complex as opposed to the previously reported conversion of HOs₃(CO)₁₀(NHPh) to an orthometallated derivative under similar conditions. An X-ray analysis of H₂Ru₃(CO)₉-(PPh) (Va) confirms the capped geometry. the complex crystallises in the monoclinic space group P2₁/n with a = 9.323(4), b = 15.110(6), c = 45.267(15) Å,β = 91.84(3)°, and Z = 12. the structure was solved and refined using the same techniques as described previously. The final residual R is 0.061 for 4839 reflections. Some reactions of Va show that the phosphorous cap is difficult to displace and stabilises the molecule with respect to decomposition to non-cluster species.