The synthesis of heteronuclear transition-metal clusters derived from methylidyne tricobalt cluster precursors: The reaction of Mn(CO) with (μ3-CCl)Co3(CO)7(μ-dppm). The crystal and molecular structure of (μ3-CH)Co2Mn(CO)8(μ-dppm), a methylidyne cluster containing a seven-coordinate manganese atom

The reaction of manganese pentacarbonyl anion with chloromethylidyne tricobaltnonacarbonyl, (μ₃-CCl)Co₃(CO)₉, leads to reduction of the cluster with formation of Mn₂(CO)₁₀ and Co(CO), whilst reaction of Mn(CO) with the bis(diphenylphosphino)methane (dppm)-stabilised cluster (μ₃-CCl)Co₃(CO)₇(μ-dppm) leads to the formation of (μ₃-CH)Co₂Mn(CO)₈(μ-dppm), 1. The unique feature of the structure of 1 is the incorporation of a seven-coordinate manganese atom into the metal triangle.