HIGH-NUCLEARITY RUTHENIUM CLUSTER COMPOUNDS CONTAINING PHOSPHORUS LIGANDS - SYNTHESIS AND CRYSTAL-STRUCTURE OF [RU6(CO)11(P(T)BU)4], [RU7(CO)14(P(T)BU)4], AND [H3RU9(CO)20(MU(7)-P)(P(T)BU)3]

Thermolysis of [Ru3(CO12] and P4(t)Bu4 (1:3) in xylene followed by separation by TLC has given the four new cluster compounds [H3Ru9(CO)20(mu7-P)(PtBu)3] (1), [Ru7(CO)14(PtBu)4] (2), [Ru6(CO)11(PtBu)4] (3), and [Ru3(CO)7(PtBu)4] (4), which have been characterised by mass spectrometry and IR and H-1-NMR spectroscopy. The structures of the three largest cluster 1, 2, and 3 were established by an X-ray diffraction study. Complex 1 is a rare nonaruthenium cluster, and incorporates the first example of a mu7-P ligand which is present, semi-encapsulated, within a most unusual type of metal framework.