Unusual tetra- and penta-ruthenium complexes from linking of ethylidyne and vinylidene ligands

Abstract The complexes [Ru 2 (CO) 2 (μ-CO)(μ-CMe)(η-C 5 H 5 ) 2 ] − and [Ru 2 CO 2 (μ-CO)(μ-CCH 2 )(η-C 5 H 5 ) 2 ] react together to give [{Ru 2 CO) 3 (η-C 5 H 5 ) 2 } 2 (μ-CMeCHCH)] + and [{Ru 3 (CO) 3 (η-C 5 H 5 ) 3 }(μ-CCH 2 CHC){Ru 2 (CO) 3 (η-C 5 H 5 ) 2 }], each characterised by X-ray diffraction. The former results from ethylidyne-vinylidene linking followed by an alkylidyne to vinyl rearrangement.