Metal cluster fragments

In general, sources of metal cluster fragments, such as Ru3(CO)io(NCMe)2 or Ru3(/i-dppm)(CO)io react readily with 1,3-diynes or poly-ynes initially to give alkyne complexes, which readily undergo further reactions as a result of activation by the cluster core. 

Although polynuclear alkyne completes are often prepared by reaction of the alkyne with a suitable metal cluster fragment, heteropolynuclear complexes 69 (Scheme 4-38) have been obtained also by isolobal metal fragment substitution, as noted previously [26]. Higher-nuclearity alkyne complexes also can be produced by the addition of various metal carbonyl fragments to a lower-nuclearity alkyne complex [119], A novel entry to heterobi- (and tri-)metallic neutral p-propargyl complexes (e.g., Fe/Mo) via protonation of trinuclear p-Ti, T1 -o-propargyl derivatives 70 was recently described by Wojcicki and coworkers [120,121]. 

In the reaction of [Ru3(CO)]2] and benzothiophene, " insertion of the metal cluster fragment into the less hindered C-S bond occurs to give the ruthenium... 

Figure 8. A representation of typical metal cluster geometries in transition metal carbonyl clusters. For clarity, the carbonyl ligands have been omitted. These compounds can profitably be viewed as metallic cluster fragments which are effectively isolated from adjacent cluster units by inert sheaths of carbonyl ligands. Taken from Johnson et...

In the following, we will present jellium-related theoretical approaches (specifically the shell-correction method (SCM) and variants thereof) appropriate for describing shell effects, energetics and decay pathways of metal-cluster fragmentation processes (both the monomer/dimer dissociation and fission), which were inspired by the many similarities with the physics of shell effects in atomic nuclei (Section 4.2). In Section 4.3, we will compare the experimental trends with the resulting theoretical SCM interpretations, and in addition we will discuss theoretical results from first-principles MD simulations (Section 4.3.3.1). Section 4.4 will discuss some of the latest insights concerning the importance of electronic-entropy and finite-temperature effects. Finally, Section 4.5 will provide a summary. 

There are only a few weU-documented examples of catalysis by metal clusters, and not many are to be expected as most metal clusters are fragile and fragment to give metal complexes or aggregate to give metal under reaction conditions (39). However, the metal carbonyl clusters are conceptually important because they form a bridge between catalysts commonly used in solution, ie, transition-metal complexes with single metal atoms, and catalysts commonly used on surfaces, ie, small metal particles or clusters. 

Mercury has a marked ability to bond to other metals. In addition to the amalgams aheady mentioned (p. 1206) it acts as a versatile structural building block by forming Hg-M bonds with cluster fragments of various types e.g. reduction... 

Complex Cluster core Metal ion Cluster fragment Ground state Ref... 

Small Co metal clusters Cora (ra = 2-8) react with CO, with sequential addition leading to the saturated Co species [Co2(CO)7], [Co3(CO)i0], [Co4(CO)i2], [Co5(CO)13] and [Co6(CO)i5]-.71 This points towards one of the features of low-valent Co carbonyls a tendency to form stable clusters. Reactivity of Co with 02 is higher but leads to cluster fragmentation, whereas N2 is essentially unreactive. Entry into carbonyl chemistry of low-valent Co is frequently via the well-known dimer Co2(CO)8. A range of reactions commencing with this compound has been developed, as follows. 

Heteronuclear compounds containing gold(I) and other metal atoms which present Au -M interactions are well represented in the area of metal carbonyl clusters. The addition of a AuPR3+ or Au2(/u-P-P)2+ fragment to a metal cluster results in the formation of Au—M bonds often with retention of the cluster framework. Several reviews have been reported recently,3153-3155 and so it will not be treated here. Some representative examples are found in Figure 26. 

In this paper, the photofragmentation of transition metal cluster complexes is discussed. The experimental information presented concerning the gas phase photodissociation of transition metal cluster complexes comes from laser photolysis followed by detection of fragments by ionization (5.). Ion counting techniques are used for detection because they are extremely sensitive and therefore suitable for the study of molecules with very low vapor pressures (6.26.27). In addition, ionization techniques allow the use of mass spectrometry for unambiguous identification of signal carriers. 

Similar experiments on a large number of transition metal carbonyls have shown that this process favors dissociation to and detection of metal clusters or atoms. Since most metal-(CO)n photofragments are themselves subject to efficient dissociation, MPI experiments do not identify the primary photoproducts. This situation contrasts sharply with electron impact ionization where the parent ion is usually formed and daughter ions are seen as a result of parent ion fragmentation. Figure 4 shows the electron impact mass spectrum of Mn2(C0) Q (33). for comparison with the MPI mass spectrum of Figure 3. 

One problem we have had to overcome in developing metal-cluster oxidation-reduction photochemistry is the tendency of excited clusters to dissociate into radical fragments (for... 

Clusters of Class B may be prepared by adding appropriate metal ligand fragments to the dimetal species. Thus treatment of (3) with [Fe2(C0)9l affords (34), and similarly (4) reacts with [Fe2(C0),J to give (35)(9). 

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