PX (X = O, S, Se, Te) and P4Se as ligands in multinuclear CpR–cobalt complexes

The room temperature oxidation of [{Cp″Co}3(μ3-P)2] (1), Cp″ = C5H3But2-1,3, with the whole series of chalcogens affords besides the double-oxidized complexes [{Cp″Co}3(μ3-PX)2] (2a: X = O, 2b: X = S, 2c: X = Se) the mono-oxidation products [{Cp″Co}3(μ3-P)(μ3-PX)] (3a: X = Se, 3b: X = Te). The reaction of [{Cp*Fe}{Cp″Co}2(P4)(P)] (4) with Se(grey) at 0°C gives the trinuclear complex [{Cp*Fe}{Cp″Co}2(P4Se)(P)] (5) with the hitherto unknown P4Se ligand. 2a,b were additionally characterized by X-ray crystal structure determinations. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 10:622–626, 1999