Dihydrogen as a reactant in the photochemistry of bimetallic cyclopentadienyl carbonyl compounds

Dihydrogen has been found to react photochemically with bimetallic compound s oft he form [(eta (5)-C5H5)M(CO)(n)](2), where M = Mo or W, n. = 3, M = F e or Ru, n = 2, to give the corresponding metal hydrides, (eta (5)-C5H5)M(C O)(n)H. Hydride formation is only significant when the photolysis wavelengt hs are in the high-energy regions known to trigger CO boss from these compo unds, and hydride formation is suppressed by added CO, making if likely tha t the reaction involves oxidative addition of H-2 to an electron-deficient, GO-Loss intermediate.