Tellurium-bridged manganese carbonyl clusters: synthesis and structural transformations of [Te4Mn3(CO10]-, [Te2Mn3(CO)9]2-, [Te2Mn3(CO)9]-, and [Te2Mn4(CO)12]2-

The reactions of appropriate ratios of K2TeO3 and Mn2(CO)10)] in superheated methanol solutions lead to a series of novel cluster anions Te4Mn3(CO)10] (1), Te2Mn3(CO)9]2- (2), Te2Mn3(CO)9]- (3), and Te2Mn4(CO)12]2- (4). When cluster 1 is treated with Mn2(CO)10]/KOH in methanol, paramagnetic cluster 2 is formed in moderate yield. Cluster 2 is oxidized by Cu(MeCN)4]BF4 to give the closo-cluster Te2Mn3(CO)9]- (3), while treatment of 2 with Mn2(CO)10]/KOH affords the closo-cluster 4. IR spectroscopy showed that cluster 1 reacted with Mn2(CO)10] to give cluster 4 via cluster 2. Clusters 1-4 were structurally characterized by spectroscopic methods or/and X-ray analyses. The core structure of 1 can be described as two Mn(CO)3] groups doubly bridged by two Te2 fragments in a mu2-eta2 fashion. Both Mn(CO)3] groups are further coordinated to one Mn(CO)4] moiety. Cluster 2 is a 49 e- species with a square-pyramidal core geometry. While cluster 3 displays a trigonal-bipyramidal metal core, cluster 4 possesses an octahedral core geometry.