The chemistry of hydridocarbonylferrates revisited: syntheses and structures of the new [H2Fe4(CO)12]2- and [HFe5(CO)14]3- anions, and the [Fe(DMF)4][Fe4(CO)12(µ5-η2-CO)(µ-H)]2 adduct containing an unprecedented isocarbonyl.

The di-hydride di-anion [H(2)Fe(4)(CO)(12)](2-) has been quantitatively obtained by protonation of the previously reported mono-hydride tri-anion [HFe(4)(CO)(12)](3-) in DMSO and structurally characterised in its [NEt(4)](2)[H(2)Fe(4)(CO)(12)] salt. It shows some subtle but yet significant differences in the stereochemistry of the ligands in comparison to the heavier Ru(4) and Os(4) congeners. The study of the reactivity of these [H(4 -n)Fe(4)(CO)(12)](n-) (n = 2,3) species allowed the serendipitous isolation and structural characterization of the new pentanuclear [HFe(5)(CO)(14)](3-) mono-hydride tri-anion. Attempts to obtain the latter in better yields led to the discovery of intermolecular CO/H(-) mutual exchange reactions and isolation and structural characterization of the [Fe(DMF)(4)][Fe(4)(CO)(12)(µ(5)-η(2)-CO)(µ-H)](2)·0.5CH(2)Cl(2) and [M(+)][Fe(4)(CO)(12)(µ(4)-η(2)-CO)(µ-H)](-) (M = K, Cs) adducts, the former containing an unprecedented isocarbonyl group. The isolation of new tetranuclear and, above all, pentanuclear hydridocarbonylferrates indicates that it is possible to further expand the chemistry of homoleptic Fe carbonyl species.

Conformational studies by dynamic NMR. 78. Stereomutation of the helical enantiomers of trigonal carbon diaryl-substituted compounds: dimesitylketone, dimesitylthioketone, and dimesitylethylene.

The free energies of activation for the enantiomerization of the title compounds (Mes2C = X, Mes = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) were determined by dynamic NMR to be 4.6, 6.5, and 9.2 kcal mol-1 for X = O, S, and CH2, respectively. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction showed that the structure of dimesitylketone is that of a propeller (C2 symmetry) with the mesityl rings twisted by 50 degrees with respect to the plane of carbonyl. The same structure was predicted by molecular mechanics calculations, which also produced good agreement between computed and experimental barriers for a dynamic process where a disrotatory one-ring flip pathway reverses the helicity of the conformational enantiomers. Solid-state NMR spectra indicated that the enantiomerization barrier in the crystal must be much higher (at least 19 kcal mol-1) than that in solution. Contrary to the case of dimesitylketone, the calculated barrier of dimesitylethylene agrees better with the experimental value if the enantiomerization process is assumed to be a conrotatory two-ring flip pathway.

N,N'-dialkylimidazolium chloroplatinate(II), chloroplatinate(IV), and chloroiridate(IV) salts and an N-heterocyclic carbene complex of platinum(II): synthesis in ionic liquids and crystal structures.

The first imidazole-type carbene complex of platinum(II), cis-(C2H4)(1-ethyl-3-methylimidazol-2-ylidene)PtCl2, has been obtained by reacting PtCl2 and PtCl4 with ethylene in the basic [EMIM]Cl/AlCl3 (1.3:1) ionic liquid (where [EMIM]+ = 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium) at 200 degrees C and structurally characterized (monoclinic P21/c space group, a = 10.416(2) A, b = 7.3421(9) A, c = 15.613(2) A, beta = 101.53(2) degrees, Z = 4). This complex can be regarded as a stable analogue of the pi-alkene-Pd(II)-carbene intermediate in the Heck reaction. In addition, a series of new N,N'-dialkylimidazolium salts of platinum group metals of the type [RMIM]2[MCln], where [RMIM+] = 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium and M = Pt(II), Pt(IV), or Ir(IV), have been prepared and characterized. The salts [EMIM]2[PtCl6] (1) and [EMIM]2[PtCl4] (2) were prepared in the ionic liquid [EMIM]Cl/AlCl3 and the salts [BMIM]2[PtCl4] (3) and [BMIM]2[PtCl6] (4) (where [BMIM]+ = 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium) and [EMIM]2-[IrCl6] (5) in aqueous or acetonitrile media. From TGA measurements, salts 1-5 decompose in air in several steps eventually to form the corresponding metal, the onset of decomposition being observed at (degree C) 260 (1), 220 (2), 200 (3), 215 (4), and 210 (5). The structures of 1, 2, and 5 were determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis. The three salts crystallize in the monoclinic P21/n space group (1, a = 7.6433(9) A, b = 16.353(2) A, c = 9.213(1) A, beta = 113.56(1) degrees, Z = 2; 2, a = 8.601(1) A, b = 8.095(2) A, c = 13.977(2) A, beta = 91.75(2) degrees, Z = 2; 5, a = 10.353(2) A, b = 9.759(2) A, c = 10.371(2) A, beta = 92.98(3) degrees, Z = 2).

New high-nuclearity Ni-Pt carbonyl clusters: synthesis and X-ray structure of the ordered [Ni24Pt14(CO)44]4- and the substitutionally Ni/Pt disordered [Ni10(Ni6-xPtx)Pt8(CO)30]4- (x = 1.92) tetraanions.

The reaction of [NnBu4]2[Ni6(CO)12] in THF solution with 1.5-2 equivalents of K2PtCl4 leads to formation of the [Ni24Pt14(CO)44]4- and [Ni10(Ni6-xPtx)Pt8(CO)30]4- (x approximately 2) tetraanions, the latter presents a localised substitutional Ni/Pt disorder and an unprecedented close-packed metal structure.