Lewis acid-base interactions between metal atoms and their applications for the synthesis of bimetallic cluster complexes

A series of new palladium-ruthenium cluster complexes have been prepared by adding Pd(PBu(t)(3)) fragments to the ruthenium-ruthenium bonds of ruthenium carbonyl complexes. Reaction of Pd(PBu(t)(3))(2) with Ru(3)(CO)(12) yielded the tripalladium adduct Ru(3)(CO)(12)Pd(PBu(t)(3))](3) 1. Compound 1 contains three Pd(PBu(t)(3)) groups symmetrically disposed with each one acting as a bridge across one Ru-Ru bond of the former Ru(3)(CO)(12) molecule. Reaction of Pd(PBu(t)(3))(2) with Ru(6)(CO)(17)(C) yielded the dipalladium adduct Ru(6)(CO)(17)(C)Pd(PBu(t)(3))](2) 2. Compound 2 exists as two isomers in the solid state. One isomer has Pd(PBu(t)(3)) groups bridging two edges of the Ru(6) octahedron. The other isomer has a Pd(PBu(t)(3)) group bridging one edge of the Ru(6) octahedron, and the other is a triple bridge. The reaction of Pd(PBu(t)(3))(2) with Ru(CO)(5) yielded the dipalladium-diruthenium complex Ru(2)(CO)(9)Pd(PBu(t)(3))](2) 3, a dipalladium adduct of the unstable molecule Ru(2)(CO)(9).