Cyclopentadienylcobalt sulfide and selenide cluster compounds: synthesis and structural characterizations

The new sulfur-rich compound Cp4Co4(μ3-S)(μ3-S2)3 (1) was obtained from the reaction of CpCO(CO)2 with sulfur. PEt3 abstracts sulfur from 1 to yield Cp4Co4(μ3-S)3(μ3-S2) (2). Compound 2 is converted back to 1 by reaction with elemental sulfur. The selenium homologue Cp4Co4(μ3-Se)3(μ3-Se2) (3) was obtained from the reaction of CpCo(CO)2 with elemental selenium.