Photochemical route to unusual tri-tungsten ferrocenylacetylene cluster [W3{μ-η2,η2- (H)CCFc}2(CO)12] and a dimetallacyclodecatetraene [W2{μ-η2,η2,η2,η2- (Fc)CC(H)C(H)C(Fc)C(Fc)C(H)C(H)C(Fc)}(CO)6]

Low temperature photoreaction between tungsten hexacarbonyl and ferrocenylacetylene yielded two unusual metal containing stable compounds, the tritungsten cluster, [W3(μ-η2,η2- (H)CCFc)2(CO)12] (1), and ditungsten-1,4,5,8-ferrocenylcyclodecatetraene, [W2{μ-η2,η2,η2,η2-(Fc)CC(H)C(H)C(Fc)C(Fc)C(H)C(H)C(Fc)}(CO)6] (2). Both compounds were characterised by IR and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and their molecular structures established by single crystal X-ray diffraction methods.

Graphical abstractPhotolysis of hexane solution containing tungsten hexacarbonyl and ferrocenylacetylene yielded the tritungsten cluster, [W3(μ-η2,η2-(H)CCFc)2(CO)12] (1), and the ditungsten, [W2{μ-η2,η2,η 2,η2-(Fc)CC(H)C(H)C(Fc)C(Fc)C(H)C(H)C(Fc)} (CO)6] (2) Both compounds were structurally characterised by single crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The W–W bonds in 1 are of donor–acceptor type and 2 displays an unusual cyclic structure.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide