PREPARATION AND AQUEOUS-SOLUTION PROPERTIES OF THE HETEROMETALLIC CUBOIDAL COMPLEX [W3CUS4(H2O)10]5+

The first heterometallic derivative of the trinuclear W(IV), incomplet e cuboidal cluster [W3S4(H2O)9]4+ has been prepared by reaction with ( i) Cu metal, and (ii) Cu+ or CuCl(solid). In both cases the product is the cuboidal [W3CuS4(H2O)10]5+ ion. The corresponding reactions of (M o3S4(HO)9]4+ yield [Mo3CuS4(H2O)10]4+ and [Mo3CuS4(H2O)10]5+ respectiv ely. The observation that the reaction of [W3S4(H2O)9]4+ with copper y ields the 5+ and not the 4+ product suggests that the 4 + cluster is l ess stable in the tungsten case. Rate constants (25-degrees-C) for the reaction of Cu+ with [W3S4(H2O)9]4+ (1.82 x 10(3) M-1 s-1) and [Mo3S4 (H2O)9]4+ (980 M-1 s-1) suggest a similar addition process. The 1:1 st oichiometries for the oxidation of [W3CuS4(H2O)10]5+ with [Co(dipic)2] - (dipic = pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate) and [Fe(H2O)6]3+ giving [W3S4(H 2O)9]4+ and CU2+ as products, further support the 5+ overall charge as signment. Rate constants have been determined and mechanisms assigned to these reactions. At 25-degrees-C, / = 2.00 M (LiClO4), the [Co(dipi c)2]- reaction is outer-sphere with a rate constant of 17.7 X 10(3) M- 1 S-1, while outer-sphere [Fe(H2O)6]3+ (2.68 x 10(2) M-1 s-1) and inne r-sphere [Fe(H2O)5(OH)]2+ (5.0 x 10(5) M-1 s-1) reactions are observed for the Fe(III) oxidant. Rate constants are of the same order of magn itude to those for the corresponding reactions of [Mo3CuS4(HO)10]5+, s uggesting that a common electron-transfer process involving the copper centre may be relevant in both cases.