Polynuclear carbonyl clusters containing heterocyclic hydrocarbons. The synthesis and X-ray crystal structure of [Os3H(CO)(9)(NMe3) (mu-COC4H4N)] {mu-CONC4H4=2-acylpyrrole}

The reaction between the acyl-substituted triosmium cluster [Os3H(CO)(10)(mu-COC4H4N)] and tri-methylamine-N-oxide, at -78 degrees C, yields not the expected pyrrole-linked cluster but the novel trimethylamine complex [Os3H(CO)(9)(NMe3)(mu-COC4H4N)] (1). An X-ray crystal structure of the product shows that it consists of an eta(2)-2-acylpyrrole bridged triosmium unit incorporating a terminally coordinated trimethylamine ligand which occupies an equatorial site on the osmium triangle. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.