Cluster chemistry. 61. Addition of HX (XCl,Br,I) or AuCl(PPh3) to an open Ru5 cluster. X-ray structures of Ru5(μ-H)(μ5-C2PPh2)(μ-PPh2)(μ-Br)(CO)13 and Ru5(μ-H)(μ5-C2PPh2)(μ3-I)(μ-PPh2)(CO)12

Reactions of aqueous HX (X?Cl, Br) or of AuCl(PPh₃) with Ru₅(μ₅-C₂PPh₂)(μ-PPh₂)(CO)₁₃ result in addition of the 4e-donor set (H + X) or (Au(PPh₃) + Cl) with concomitant opening of two Ru? Ru bonds to give complexes containing dimetallated triangular of ‘scorpion’ cores. Aqueous HI reacts similarly, but in this case the iodide ligand spans three Ru atoms, the (H + I) set acting as 6e-donor. The structures of the two title compounds were confirmed by X-ray crystallographic studies. Ru₅(μ-H)(μ₅-C₂PPh₂)(μ-PPh₂)-(μ-Br)(CO)₁₃ is triclinic, space group P1 , a = 9.689(2), b = 11.874(2), c = 20.005(4) Å, α = 84.66(2), β = 82.90(6), λ = 67.51(6)°, Z = 2; 6478 data with I > 2σ(I) were refined to R = 0.0368, R_w = 0.0362. Ru₅(μ-H)(μ₅-C₂PPh₂)(μ₃-I)(μ-PPh₂)-(CO)₁₂.CH₂Cl₂ is monoclinic, space group P2₁/n, a = 14.809(4), b = 20.721(4), c = 17.698(5) Å, β = 111.42(2)°, Z = 4; 7815 data with I > 2σ(I) were refined to R = 0.0440, R_w = 0.0416.