INTERCONVERSION OF TETRAHEDRANES CONTAINING NAKED PHOSPHORUS LIGANDS - SYNTHESIS OF THE TRIMETALLIC COMPLEXES [MONW(3-N)CP(3)(CO)(6)(MU(3)-P)] (N=0-3, CP=ETA(5)-C5H5) AND THEIR AIR OXIDATION TO THE CORRESPONDING COMPLEXES OF THE MU(3)-PO LIGAND

Thermolytic reaction of [MCp(CO)(2)(eta(3)-P-3)] with [M'(2)Cp(2)(CO)( 4)] (M = M' = Mo or W, Cp = eta(5)-C5H4) afforded the dimetallic compl exes [MonW(2-n)Cp(2)(CO)(4)(mu,eta(2)-P-2)] (n = 0-2) and the trimetal lic complexes [MonW(3-n)Cp(3)(CO)(6)(mu(3)-P)] (n = 0-3). Solutions of these trimetallics were readily oxidised by atmospheric oxygen to the corresponding complexes containing the mu(3)-PO ligand, [MonW(3-n)Cp( 3)(CO)(6)(mu(3)-PO)] (n = 0-3). The complexes O)(6)(mu(3)-PO)],[W(2)Cp (2)(CO)(4)(mu,eta(2)-P-2)] and [MoWCp(2)(CO)(4)(mu,eta(2)-P-2)] have b een characterised by X-ray diffraction.