Reactions of the tetrahedral clusters [MCo(3)(CO)(12)](-) (M = Ru, Fe) with functional mono- and diynes

The tetrahedral cluster [RuCo(3)(CO)(12)](-) reacts with various alkynes, including the new PhCtbd1;CC(O)NHCH(2)Ctbd1;CH (L(1)()), to afford the butterfly clusters [RuCo(3)(CO)(10)(micro(4)-eta(2)-RC(2)R')](-) (1, R = R' = C(O)OMe; 2, R = H, R' = Ph; 3, R = H, R' = MeC=CH(2); 4, R = H, R' = CH(2)OCH(2)Ctbd1;CH; 5, R = H, R' = CH(2)NHC(O)Ctbd1;CPh), in which the ruthenium atom occupies a hinge position and the alkyne is coordinated in a micro(4)-eta(2) fashion. Reaction of the anions 1-3 with [Cu(NCMe)(4)]BF(4) led to selective loss of the 12e fragment Co(CO)(-) to form [RuCo(2)(CO)(9)(micro(3)-eta(2)-RC(2)R')] (6, R = R' = C(O)OMe; 7, R = H, R' = Ph; 8, R = H, R' = MeC=CH(2)). To prepare functionalized RuCo(3) or FeCo(3) clusters that could be subsequently condensed with a silica matrix via the sol-gel method, we reacted [MCo(3)(CO)(12)](-) (M = Ru, Fe) with the alkyne PhCtbd1;CC(O)NH(CH(2))(3)Si(OMe)(3)(L(2)()) and obtained the butterfly clusters [MCo(3)(CO)(10)(micro(4)-eta(2)-PhC(2)C(O)NH(CH(2))(3)Si(OMe)(3))](-) 9 and 10, respectively. Air-stable [RuCo(3)(CO)(10)(micro(4)-eta(2)-Me(3)SiC(2)Ctbd1;CSiMe(3))](-) (11) was obtained from 1,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)butadiyne and reacted with [Cu(NCMe)(4)]BF(4) to give [RuCo(2)(CO)(9)(micro(3)-eta(2)-HC(2)Ctbd1;CSiMe(3))] (12), owing to partial ligand proto-desilylation, and not the expected [RuCo(2)(CO)(9)(micro(3)-eta(2)-Me(3)SiC(2)Ctbd1;CSiMe(3))]. Reaction of 11 with [NO]BF(4) afforded, in addition to 12, [RuCo(3)(CO)(9)(NO)(micro(4)-eta(2)-Me(3)SiC(2)Ctbd1;CSiMe(3))] (13) owing to selective CO substitution on a wing-tip cobalt atom with NO. The thermal reaction of 11 with [AuCl(PPh(3))] led to replacement of a CO on Ru by the PPh(3) originating from [AuCl(PPh(3))] and afforded [RuCo(3)(CO)(9)(PPh(3))(micro(4)-eta(2)-Me(3)SiC(2)Ctbd1;CSiMe(3))](-) (14), also obtained directly by reaction of 11 with one equivalent of PPh(3). Proto-desilylation of 11 using TBAF/THF-H(2)O afforded [RuCo(3)(CO)(10)(micro(4)-eta(2)-Me(3)SiC(2)Ctbd1;CH)](-) (15) which, by Sonogashira coupling with 1,4-diiodobenzene, yielded the dicluster complex [[RuCo(3)(CO)(10)(micro(4)-eta(2)-Me(3)SiC(2)Ctbd1;C)]](2)C(6)H(4)](2)(-) (16). The crystal structures of NEt(4).3a, NEt(4).4a, 6, NEt(4).11b, NEt(4).14, and [N(n-Bu)(4)].15a have been determined by X-ray diffraction. Preliminary results indicate the potential of silica-tethered alkyne mixed-metal clusters, obtained by the sol-gel method, as precursors to bimetallic particles.