C2 CH3 2 RuCo2 CO

80-g quantity (1.52 mmol) of RuCo2(CO)i 1 (ref. 7) is dissolved in 100mL of hexane in a 250-mL Schlenk flask containing a magnetic stirring bar and cooled to 5 °C in an ice bath. To this solution 0.12 g (2.22 mmol) of 2-butyne is added, and the flask is closed with a pressure equalizing bubbler. (Because of the volatility of 2-butyne it is convenient to use it as a 0.5 M solution in 

Organometallic Syntheses, Vol. 1, Academic Press, New York, 1965, p. 119. 

Submitted by JEROME B. KEISTER, JOHN R. IAPLEY, aad DEBRA 

Much of the early work in metal cluster chemistry concerned syntheses and reactions of alkylidynetricobalt clusters of the general formula [CosOtj CX)(C0)93, where X = H, alkyl, aryl, halo, carboalkoxy, and others. Until the last few years alkylidyne clusters of other metals were limited to a few examples with X s H or CH3 no other series of functionalized methylidyne clusters was available for physical and chemical studies. 

The compound [Ru3H3( i3-COCH3)(CO)9] forms bright orange crystals that are mildly air sensitive. It dissolves readily in common organic solvents to give somewhat more air-sensitive solutions. Its IR spectrum in cyclohexane 

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