Regiospecific and sequential P-C bond activation/cluster transformations in the reaction of PhCCo2MoCp(CO)8 with the diphosphine ligands 2,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)maleic anhydride (bma) and 3,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)-5-methoxy-2(5H)-furanone (bmf)

The tetrahedral cluster PhCCo2MoCp(CO)8 reacts with the diphosphine ligands 2,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)maleic anhydride (bma) and 3,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)-5-methoxy-2(5H)-furanone (bmf) to give the phosphido-bridged clusters Co2MoCp(CO)5[μ2,η2,η1-C(Ph)CC(PPh2)C(O)OC(O)](μ-PPh2) and Co2MoCp(CO)5[μ2,η2,η1-C(Ph)CC(PPh2)C(O)OCH(OMe)](μ-PPh2), respectively. Thermolysis of these clusters leads to the formation of the bis(phosphido)-bridged clusters Co2MoCp(CO)4[η3,η1,η1-C(Ph)CCC(O)OC(O)](μ-PPh2)2 and Co2MoCp(CO)4[η3,η1,η1-C(Ph)CCC(O)OCH(OMe)](μ-PPh2)2, respectively. The molecular structures of all four products have been established by X-ray crystallography, and the regio- and diastereoselectivity that accompany the activation of the bmf ligand are discussed.