Chemical assembly and molecular structure of the octanuclear heterometallic cluster (MeC5H4)2Cr2(μ3-S)4Co2[(μ3-S)2Fe2(CO)6]. [(μ3-S)Fe2(CO)6] having a “triangular metal ornament” core

Abstract The octanuclear cluster (MeC 5 H 4 ) 2 Cr 2 (μ 3 -S) 4 Co 2 [(μ 3 -S) 2 Fe 2 (CO) 6 ][(μ 3 -S)Fe 2 (CO) 6 ] was obtained from the photochemical reaction of S 2 Fe 2 (CO) 6 with (MeC 5 H 4 ) 2 Cr 2 S 3 Co 2 (CO) 4 , which has a “metallic butterfly” core. The X-ray diffraction study (space group P 2 1 n , a = 12.111(2), b = 16.567(3), c = 19.049(3) A, β = 106.82(1)°, Z = 4, R = 0.063) shows the molecule to contain a pseudocubane fragment Cr 2 Co 2 S 4 with CrCr and CrCo bonds of 2.772(3) and 2.704(2)–2.739(2) A, respectively and a non-bonding Co ··· Co separation of 3.160(1) A. One of the Co atoms is asymmetrically bonded to the binuclear fragment S 2 Fe 2 (CO) 6 (CoFe 2.645(2) and 3.366(2) A) and symmetrically bonded to the Fe 2 S(CO) 6 fragment (CoFe 2.584(2) and 2.571(2) A).