Generation of AuPd22/Au2Pd21 analogues of the high-nuclearity Pd23(CO)20(PEt3)10 cluster containing 19-atom centered hexacapped-cuboctahedral (nu 2-octahedral) metal fragment: structural-to-synthesis approach concerning formation of Au2Pd21(CO)20(PEt3)10

Reactions of Pd(PEt(3))(2)Cl(2) and Au(PPh(3))Cl in DMF with NaOH under CO atmosphere gave rise to the unique capped three-shell homopalladium Pd(145)(CO)(x)(PEt(3))(30)(x approximately 60) and two neutral Au-Pd clusters: Au(2)Pd(21)(CO)(20)(PEt(3))(10) (1) and Au(2)Pd(41)(CO)(27)(PEt(3))(15)(following article). Similar reactions with Pd(PMe(3))(2)Cl(2) being used in place of Pd(PEt(3))(2)Cl(2) afforded Au(2)Pd(21)(CO)(20)(PMe(3))(10) (2), the trimethylphosphine analogue of, and the electronically equivalent [AuPd(22)(CO)(20)(PPh(3))(4)(PMe(3))(6)](-) monoanion (3) as the [PPh(4)](+) salt. Each of these three air-sensitive 23-atom heterometallic Au-Pd clusters was obtained in low yields (7-25%); however, their geometrical similarities with the known cuboctahedral-based homopalladium Pd(23)(CO)(20)(PEt(3))(10) (4), recently obtained in good yields from Pd(10)(CO)(12)(PEt(3))(6), suggested an alternative preparative route for obtaining. This "structure-to-synthesis" approach afforded 1 in 60-70% yields from reactions of Pd(10)(CO)(12)(PEt(3))(6) and Au(PPh(3))Cl in DMF with NaOH under N(2) atmosphere. Both the compositions and atomic arrangements for 1, 2 and 3 were unambiguously established from low-temperature single-crystal CCD X-ray crystallographic determinations in accordance with their nearly identical IR carbonyl frequencies. Cluster 1 was also characterized by (31)P[(1)H] NMR, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and elemental analysis. The virtually identical Au(2)Pd(21) core-architectures of 1 and 2 closely resemble that of 4, which consists of a centered hexa(square capped)-cuboctahedral Pd(19) fragment of pseudo-O(h) symmetry that alternatively may be viewed as a centered Pd(19)nu(2)-octahedron (where nu(n) designates (n + 1) equally spaced atoms along each edge). [AuPd(22)(CO)(20)(PPh(3))(4)(PMe(3))(6)](-) (3) in the crystalline state ([PPh(4)](+) salt) consists of two crystallographically independent monoanions 3A and 3B; a superposition analysis ascertained that their geometries are essentially equivalent. A CV indicates that reversibly undergoes two one-electron reductions and two one-electron oxidations; these reversible redox processes form the basis for an integrated structural/electronic picture that is compatible with the existence of the electronically-equivalent 1-3 along with the electronically-nonequivalent 4 (with two fewer CVEs) and other closely related species.