Abstract
Reaction of 1Bu[sbnd]C[tbnd]P with [Ru3(CO)12] or [Os3(CO)12] afforded the novel phosphinidene complexes [Ru3(CO)9(PC(CO)1Bu}2] 1 or [Os1(CO)9(PC(CO)1Bu}2] 2, respectively. A crystal structure analysis revealed a nido structure for both complexes in agreement with a contribution of four electrons to the cluster framework by each phosphinidene ligand. A minor product of the reaction with [Os3(CO)12] is the complex [Os3(CO)9(P(C(CO)1Bu)C(1Bu)P(Os3(CO)11))] 3, consisting of two triosmium units linked by a P[sbnd]C[sbnd]P framework resulting from coupling of phosphinidene and phospha-alkyne fragments. Complex 3 was also characterized by means of a crystal structure analysis.