31P n.m.r. studies on trialkylphosphinegold(I) derivatives of ruthenium carbide clusters: synthesis and X-ray crystal structures of [Ru6C(CO)16(AuPMePh2)2] and [Ru5WC(CO)17(AuPEt3)2]

Reaction of the anions [Ru6C(CO)16]2– and [Ru5WC(CO)17]2– with ClAuPR3(R = alkyl, aryl) yields [Ru6C(CO)16(AuPR3)2] and [Ru5WC(CO)17(AuPR3)2], respectively; X-ray crystallography has shown that two gold atoms adopt a different geometry in each case and subsequent low-temperature 31P{1H} n.m.r. studies have shown that these compounds exist as isomeric species in solution.