BIS(CYCLOPENTADIENYL) CLUSTERS OF RUTHENIUM - THE SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND MOLECULAR-STRUCTURES OF [RU5C(CO)10(ETA(5)-C5H5)2] AND [RU6C(CO)12(ETA(5)-C5H5)2]

Reaction of the hexanuclear cluster [Ru6C(CO)17] with trimethylamine N-oxide in CH2Cl2 containing cyclopentadiene yielded a variety of products including [Ru6C(CO)12(eta5-C5H5)2] 1 and [Ru5C(CO)10(eta5-C5H5)2] 2 in moderate and modest yields, respectively. Compound 2 has also been isolated as a major product from a similar reaction of cyclopentadiene with [Ru5C(CO)15] and as a minor product from the reaction of cyclopentadiene with [RuRhC(CO)14(eta5-C5Me5)]. The molecular structures of compounds 1 and 2 have been determined by X-ray diffraction, at 150 and 295 K, respectively.