Synthesis and molecular structure of trinuclear mixed-metal cluster cations containing arene and hydrido ligands

The mixed-metal trinuclear cluster cations [H3Ru2(C6Me6)(2)OS(C6H6)(O)](+) (1), [H3Ru2(1,2,4,5-C6H2Me4)(2)Os(p-MeC6H4'-Pr)(O)](+) (2) and [H3Ru2(1,2,4,5-C6H2Me4)(2)OS(C6H6)(O)](+) (3) have been synthesised from the corresponding dinuclear precursors [H3Ru2(arene)(2)](+) and the corresponding mononuclear complexes [Os(arene)(H2O)(3)](2+), isolated and characterised as the tetrafluoroborate and hexafluorophosphate salts. The cations 1, 2 and 3 are heteronuclear analogues of the cluster cation [H3Ru3(C6H6)(C6Me6)(2)(O)](+) that possesses a homonuclear metallic core. The single-crystal X-ray structure analyses of [1][BF4], [2][PF6] and [3][PF6] reveal an equiangular metal triangle despite the presence of an osmium atom in the metallic core. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.