Synthesis and X-Ray Crystal Structures of Fe2Ru(CO)12−n (CNBu t ) n and FeRu2(CO)12−n (CNBu t ) n (n=1, 2)

The clusters Fe₂Ru(CO)_12–n(CNBu^t)_n (3, n=1; 4, n=2), FeRu₂(CO)_12–n(CNBu^t)_n (5, n=1, 6, n=2) and FeRu₂(CO)₁₁(CNCy) (5a) have been prepared by direct substitution from the parent carbonyl precursors Fe₂Ru(CO)₁₂ (1) and FeRu₂(CO)₁₂ (2). All compounds have been characterized spectroscopically and clusters 3, 4, 5, and 6 by single crystal X-ray determinations. In all cases, the isonitrile ligands adopt axial or pseudo-axial positions on a ruthenium atom. The structures of 3–5 are very similar to their parent clusters, but the extent of metal framework disorder is significantly less. Cluster 6 adopts the same C_2v Fe₃(CO)₁₂ type structure as 4, and thus differs markedly from the parent compound 2, which has a D₃ structure .