Reactivity of the heterometallic clusters [HMCo3(CO)12] and [Et4N][MCo3(CO)12] (M = Fe, Ru) toward phosphine selenides, including selenium transfer. Crystal structures of [HRuCo3(CO)7(mu-CO)3(mu-dppy)], [MCo2(mu3-Se)(CO)7(mu-dppy)], and [RuCo2(mu3-Se)(CO)7(mu-dppm)] [dppy = Ph2(2-C5H4N)P, dppm = Ph2PCH2PPh2

The reactivity of HMCo3(CO)12] and Et4N]MCo3(CO)12] (M = Fe, Ru) toward phosphine selenides such as Ph3PSe, Ph2P(Se)CH2PPh2, Ph2(2-C5H4N)PSe, Ph2(2-C4H3S)PSe, and Ph2(2-C5H4N)(2-C4H2S)]PSe has been studied with the aim to obtain new selenido-carbonyl bimetallic clusters. The reactions of the hydrido clusters give two main classes of products: (i) triangular clusters with a mu3-Se capping ligand of the type MCo2(mu3-Se)(CO)(9-x)L(y)] resulting from the selenium transfer (x = y = 1, 2, with L = monodentate ligand; x = 2, 4, and y = 1, 2, with L = bidentate ligand) (M = Fe, Ru) and (ii) tetranuclear clusters of the type HMCo3(CO)12xL(y)] obtained by simple substitution of axial, Co-bound carbonyl groups by the deselenized phosphine ligand. The crystal structures of HRuCo3(CO)7(mu-CO)3(mu-dppy)] (1), MCo2(mu3-Se)(CO)7(mu-dppy)] (M = Fe (16) or Ru (2)), and RuCo2(mu3-Se)(CO)7(mu-dppm)] (12) are reported dppy = Ph2(2-C5H4N)P, dppm = Ph2PCH2PPh2]. Clusters 2, 12, and 16 are the first examples of trinuclear bimetallic selenido clusters substituted by phosphines. Their core consists of metal triangles capped by a mu3-selenium atom with the bidentate ligand bridging two metals in equatorial positions. The core of cluster 1 consists of a RuCo3 tetrahedron, each Co-Co bond being bridged by a carbonyl group and one further bridged by a dppy ligand. The coordination of dppy in a pseudoaxial position causes the migration of the hydride ligand to the Ru(mu-H)Co edge. In contrast to the reactions of the hydrido clusters, those with the anionic clusters MCo3(CO)12]- do not lead to Se transfer from phosphorus to the cluster but only to CO substitution by the deselenized phosphine.