Reactions of dipropargyl manolate, terephthalate with Co-2(CO)(8), Mo2Cp2(CO)(4) and RuCo2(CO)(11) give the di or tetranuclear clusters. The crystal structure of [CH2(CO2CH2C2H-mu)(2)][Co-2(CO)(6)](2) and [p-(HC2CH2OCO)C6H4(CO2CH2C2H-mu)][Co-2(CO)(6)]

The reactions of dipropargyl manolate and terephthalate, respectively, a wi th Co-2(CO)(8) in THF at room temperature gave four new compounds [R(CO2CH2 C2H-mu)(2)][Co-2(CO)(6)](2) (R = CH2, 1a: R = C6H4, 1b) and [(HC2CH2OCO)R(C O2CH2C2H-mu)][Co-2(CO)(6)] (R = CH2, 2a, R = C6H4-1.4-. 2b), and compounds 2a and b reacted with RuCo2(CO)(11) to form two new linked clusters [R(CO2C H2C2H-mu)(2)][Co-2(CO)(9)] (R = CH2, 3a: R = C6H4-1.4-, 3b). The treatment of two dipropargyl esters, respectively, with RuCo2(CO)(11) afforded anothe r two new clusters [R(CO2CH2C2H-mu (2)][RUCo2(CO)(9)](2) (R = CH2, 4a: R = C6H4- 1,4-, 4b). The reactions of dipropargyl manolate, terephalate with Mo 2Cp2(CO)(4) gave rise to the formation of dinuclear complexes [(HC2CH2OCO)R (CO2CH2C,H-mu)][Mo2Cp2(CO)(4)] (R = CH2, 5a, R = C6H4-1,4-. 5b), compound 5 a reacted with Co-2(CO)(8) to produce the cluster [CH2(CO2CH2C2H-mu)[Co-2(C O)(2)][Mo2Cp2(CO)(4)] 6a. All the new clusters have been characterized by C ,.H elemental analysis, IR and H-1 NMR spectroscopies. The structure of [CH 2(CO2CH2C2H-mu)(2)][CO2(CO)(6)](2) 1a and [p-(HC2CH2OCO)C6H4(CO2CH2C2H-mu)] [Co-2(CO)(6)] 2b have been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction m ethods. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.