Complexes containing bridging tin- and germanium-substituted metallocarboxylate ligands from the reactions of Ph3SnOH and Ph3GeOH with Os3(CO)12 in the presence of base

The first examples of bridging tin- and germanium-substituted metallocarboxylate ligands have been obtained from the reactions of Ph₃SnOH and Ph₃GeOH with Os₃(CO)₁₂ under basic conditions. Two products: Os₃(CO)₁₀(μ-η²-O=COSnPh₃)(μ-OMe), 1 (18% yield) and Os₃(CO)₁₀(μ-OMe)(μ-OH), 2 (6.9% yield) were obtained from the reaction of Ph₃SnOH with Os₃(CO)₁₂ in the presence of Bu₄N]OH in methanol solvent. The compound Os₃(CO)₁₀(μ-η²-O=COGePh₃)(μ-OMe), 3 (7.3% yield) was prepared similarly by using Ph₃GeOH in place of Ph₃SnOH. Each of the products 1-3 were characterized structurally by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Compounds 1 and 3 each contain an μ-η²-O=COMPh₃, M = Sn or Ge ligand bridging a pair of osmium atoms in a triosmium carbonyl cluster complex.