The reaction between [Ru3(CO)11(CNBut)] and [Pt(η-C2H4)(PPh3)2] at -30° affords a thermally
unstable intermediate complex (A), which decomposes at room temperature affording, inter alia,
[Ru2Pt(CO)7(PPhd3)3 (1), [RuPt2(CO)5(PPh3)3] (2), [RuPt2(CO)6(CNBut)(PPh3)] (5) and [Ru2Pt2-
(CO)9(CNBut)(PPh3)] (6). The hexanuclear complexes [Ru2Pt4(CO)5-n(CNBut)(PPh3)4+n] [n = 0
(17) and 1 (18)] are obtained, with [Ru2Pt(CO)5(CNBut)(PPh3)4] (16), from reactions at 80°.
Related Ru2Pt and RuPt, complexes are obtained from reactions between complex (A) and CO,
CNBut, Pme3, P(C6H4Me-p)3, or P(OMe)3; related reactions between [Ru3(CO)11(CNBut)] and
[Pt{P(C6H4Me-p)3}4], and between [Ru3(CO)10(CNBut)2] and [Pt(η-C2H4)(PPh3)2, are also
described.
The crystal structure of [RuPt2(CO)5(PPh3)3] has been determined by single-crystal X-ray
diffraction methods at 295(1) K and refined by least squares to a residual of 0.035 for 6774
'observed' reflections. Crystals are triclinic, P 1, a 15.893(5), b 15.400(5), c 12.651(4) Ǻ, α 57.04(2),
β 77.09(3), γ 84.10(3)°, Z 2. Crystals of the dibenzene solvate of the complex are monoclinic,
P 21/c, a 11.868(4), b 18.647(8), c 29.24(1) A, β 98.35(3)°, Z 4, the structure being refined to a
residual of 0.057 for 4530 'observed' reflections. Ligand dispositions are compared in detail with
those observed in the analogous compound previously described with the methyldiphenylphosphine
Iigand.