Reactivity of [SeFe3(CO)(9)](2-) with electrophiles: Formation of [SeFe2Ru3(CO)(14)](2-), [SeFe3(CO)9(mu-HgI)](-), Fe-2(CO)(6)(mu-SeCHPhSe), and Se2Fe2(CO)(6)(mu-CH2)(2)
The reactions of the tetrahedral cluster [SeFe3(CO)(9)](2-) with some transition-metal complexes and organic halides were investigated. The mixed-metal cluster [Et(4)N](2)[SeFe2Ru3(CO)(14)] (1) was obtained from the reaction of [Et(4)N](2)[SeFe3(CO)(9)] with Ru-3(CO)(12) in acetone. Further reaction of [Et(4)N](2)[SeFe3(CO)(9)] with HgI2 produces the HgI-bridged cluster [Et(4)N][SeFe3(CO)(9)(mu-HgI)] (2). While [SeFe3(CO)(9)](2-) reacts with CHPhCl(2) to produce the CHPh-bridged cluster Fe-2(CO)(6)(mu-SeCHPhSe) (3), treatment with CH2I2 forms the major product Se2Fe2(CO)(6)(mu-CH2)(2) (4). Complex I displays an octahedral metal core with a mu(4)-Se atom and two carbonyl groups bridging the Ru-Ru and Ru-Fe bonds. Cluster 2 consists of a SeFe3 core with a HgI fragment bridging one Fe-Fe bond, and cluster 3 exhibits a Se2Fe2 butterfly geometry with the wingtip linked by a CHPh moiety. On the other hand, cluster 4 contains a planar Se2Fe2 moiety with two CH2 groups bridging the two Se-Fe bonds. Complexes 1-4 have been fully structurally characterized by spectroscopic methods and X-ray diffraction analyses. This paper describes the formation of four different types of clusters from the reactions of [SeFe3(CO)(9)](2-) with electrophiles and discusses the role of [SeFe3(CO)(9)](2-) and the incoming electrophiles.