Cyanide-bridged trinuclear complexes based on central bis(hexafluoroacetylacetonate)metal units

By treatment of the complexes (hfa)(2)M (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd; hf a= hexafluoroacetylacetonate) with the metallocyanides LnM'-CN (LnM' = Cp(d ppe)Fe and Cp(PPh3)(2)Ru) 14 trinuclear complexes LnM'N-M(hfa)(2)-NC-M'L-n were obtained. Their IR data and four structure determinations have shown t hat they contain essentially linear M'-CN-M-NC-M' arrays, i.e. have trans-c onfigured M(hfa)(2)(NC)(2) centers. Only complex Cp(PPh3)(2)Ru-CN-Co(hfa)(2 )-NC-Ru(PPh3)(2)Cp was also obtained and structurally characterized as the cis isomer. Cyclic voltammetry has yielded no indication that there is elec tronic communication between the external LnM units upon oxidation. (C) 200 0 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.