A novel pentaruthenium cluster containing three thiazole derived ligands; X-ray structure of [Ru-3(CO)(9)(mu-H)(mu(5)-eta(5)-HC = NC = CHS)Ru-2(CO)(4)(mu-H)(eta(1)-HC = NCH = CHS)(mu-2,3-eta(3)-C = NCH = CHS)]

Treatment of [Ru-3(CO)(12)] with I molar equivalent of thiazole in the pres ence of sodium benzophenone ketyl yields [Ru-3(CO)(10)(mu-H)(mu-2,3-eta(2)- C=NCH=CHS)] (7) while with 5 molar equivalents of thiazole and excess ketyl , the compounds [Ru-3(CO)(8)(mu-H)(2)(mu-2,3-eta(2)-C=NCH=CHS)(2)] (8) and [Ru-3(CO)(9)(mu-H) (mu(5)-eta(5)-HC=NC= CHS)Ru-2(CO)(4)(mu-H) (eta(1)-HC=NC H=CHS) (mu-2,3-eta(2)-C=NCH=CHS)] (9) are formed. The structurally unique 9 is formed by a ring opening reaction of thiazole which simultaneously brid ges an Ru-3 and an Ru-2 unit, the latter containing one thiazolide ligand i n mu-eta(2)-coordination mode and a thiazole ligand in eta(1)-mode. (C) 199 8 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.