A new direct synthesis for dicarbide clusters: synthesis and crystal structure of [AsPh4]2[Ni10(CO)16C2]

Reaction of [Ni6(CO)12]2– with either C2Cl4 or C2Cl6 results in a direct synthesis for the new dicarbide cluster [Ni10(CO)16C2]2–, which has been isolated and structurally characterized as its tetraphenylarsonium salt.