Synthesis and molecular structure of [Fe3(μ2-H)(μ3-Te)(CO)9][Cp#2Nb(CO)2] (Cp#=C5Me5, C5Me4Et)

Abstract Reaction of [Cp # 2 Nb(Te 2 H)] ( 1 # ) (Cp # =Cp* (C 5 Me 5 ) or Cp x (C 5 Me 4 Et)) with [Fe 2 (CO) 9 ] in boiling toluene gives [Fe 3 (μ 2 -H)(μ 3 -Te)(CO) 9 ][Cp # 2 Nb(CO) 2 ] ( 2 ) (Cp # =Cp*) and ( 3 ) (Cp # =Cp x ) in 33 and 39% yield, respectively. The crystal structure of 3 contains the already known [Fe 3 HTe(CO) 9 ] − anion and a [Cp x 2 Nb(CO) 2 ] + cation in a 1:1 ratio. The latter belongs to the class of bent metallocenes in which the Nb(CO) 2 plain bisects the cation. For the first time, localization of the hydrogen in the solid state as a μ 2 -bridge in the cluster anion has been established.