New synthetic routes for the preparation of the triangular trinuclear clusters of tungsten-containing bromine atoms as terminal ligands: Structural characterization of [W3S4Br3(depe)3]PF6·0.5C7 H8 and [W3S4Br3(depe)3]Br·2CH3OH

Synthetic methods are reported for the preparation of compounds containing the trinuclear triangular cluster W₃S₄Br₃(depe)₃⁺. These involve reactions between WBr₅ and NaB(C₂ H₅)₃H or NaBH₄ as reducing agent in THF, and subsequent addition of methanolic solutions of NaHS and depe ligand. Both compounds, W₃S₃Br₃(depe)₃]PF₆·0.5C₇H₈,1, and W₃S₄Br₃(depe)₃]Br·2CH₃OH,2, are characterized by x-ray single crystal studies. Compounds1 and2 crystallize in space group \(P\bar 1\) . For1,a=10.427 (3) Å,b=15.415(4) Å,c=18.140(5) Å, α=79.36(2)°, β=73.59(2)°, γ=81.54(2)°, andV=2734.8(2) ų;R=0.050 and for 2a=10.491(3) Å,b=15.074(3) Å,c=18.246 Å, α=95.76(2)°, β=105.82(2)°, γ=98.18(2)°, andV=2718.4(3) ų;R=0.081. The two cations in1 and2 possess C₃ symmetry. The W-W distances are in the range 2.783?2.891 Å (for1) and 2.778?2.785 Å (for2) and the average W-Br distances in1 and2 are 2.6162] Å and 2.5944] Å, respectively. Each metal atom in the W₃S₄Br₃(depe)₃]⁺ ions is attached to one capping sulfur atom, two bridging sulfur atoms, one bromine atom, and one chelating depe ligand. One P atom in depe ligand istrans to μ₃-S and the otherP atom istrans to a μ₂-S atom. UV-Vis and NMR spectra for these compounds are also reported.