DISMANTLING A DINUCLEAR METALLACYCLOPENTADIENE - ALKYNE SCISSION IN COBALT-MOLYBDENUM CLUSTERS

The alkyne complexes [Mo-2(mu-C(2)Ph(2))(CO)(4)(eta-C5H5)(2)] and [Co- 2(mu-C(2)Ph(2))(CO)(6)] reacted together to give the butterfly cluster (3)-CPh)(2)(mu(4)-C(2)Ph(2))(CO)(4)(eta-C5H5)(2)], which can also be made from [Mo-2(mu-C(4)Ph(4))(CO)(eta-C5H5)(2)] and [Co-2(CO)(8)]; the possible role of the C(4)Ph(4) complex as an intermediate in the form er transformation is discussed.