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Subject Chemistry

11, Inorganic Chemistry –III (Metal π-Complexes

Paper No and Title
and Metal Clusters)
Module No and Module 33: Preparation, structure and bonding of
Title compounds having M-M multiple bonds
Module Tag CHE_P11_M33

CHEMISTRY 11. Inorganic Chemistry–III (Metal π-Complexes and Metal

Clusters)
Module 33: Preparation, structure and bonding of compounds
having M-M multiple bonds
 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Learning outcomes
2. Introduction
3. Preparation of organometallic carbonyl clusters.
4. Preparation of inorganic metal clusters.
5. Structure and bonding in cluster containing metal-metal multiple bonds.
6. Summary

CHEMISTRY 11. Inorganic Chemistry–III (Metal π-Complexes and Metal

Clusters)
Module 33: Preparation, structure and bonding of compounds
having M-M multiple bonds
 3

1. Learning Outcomes
After studying this module, you shall be able to know about

 Metal cluster compounds.

 Preparative methods for metal cluster compounds containing single and multiple
metal-metal bonds.
 Type of bonding and molecular orbital picture of the M-M bonds in such cluster.

2. Introduction
Metal-metal multiple bonding is an important feature of the chemistry of many transition
elements andis very important to the field of metal cluster chemistry. They constitute an
important class of multiple bonds unlike multiple bonds between the main group elements and
multiple metal-ligand bonds. Multiple metal-metal bonds of the order 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5 and 4 are well-
known.

The Re=Re double bond was the first ever observation of a metal-metal multiple bond in
[Re3Cl12]3-. A typical property of metals is that rather than forming straight chains or
rings, metals tend to agglomerate so as to form maximum number of bonds with
minimum number of adjacent metal atoms, giving rise to either metal-metal multiple
bonds or metal cluster compounds. Metals do so to attain 18-electronic configuration and
hence to attain stability. For example, the triangular cluster Os3(CO)12 can be viewed as a
CHEMISTRY 11. Inorganic Chemistry–III (Metal π-Complexes and Metal
Clusters)
Module 33: Preparation, structure and bonding of compounds
having M-M multiple bonds
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stable trimer of the unsaturated 16 electron fragment Os(CO)4. The 15 electron Rh(CO)3
fragment forms the tetramer Rh4(CO)12 with a tetrahedron of metal atoms. Such kind of
compounds may be classified as organometallic clusters. Unsaturated (electron deficient)
metal fragments may form multiple bonds with other fragments such as
(RO)3Mo≡Mo(RO)3, and Mo6(μ3-Cl)84‒ are referred to as inorganic
clusters. Organometallic clusters are often low-oxidation species and require ligands such
as carbonyl whereas inorganic clusters are often higher valent and have ligands such as
chloride. Thus, the term clusters can be applied to a broad class of compounds which
include metal-metal single or multiple bonds such as:

3. Preparation of organometallic carbonyl clusters

Metal halides, oxides and other compounds react with carbon monoxide (CO) gas in the
presence of a reducing agent (excess of CO acts as reducing agent) at high pressure. The
process is called reductive carbonylation . Yields are often poor.

CHEMISTRY 11. Inorganic Chemistry–III (Metal π-Complexes and Metal

Clusters)
Module 33: Preparation, structure and bonding of compounds
having M-M multiple bonds
 5

Diiron nonacarbonyl (Fe2(CO)9) is usually prepared by photolysis of Fe(CO)5.

Metal carbonyl clusters consisting of four or more metal atoms are prepared by a variety
of methods such as carbonylation and pyrolysis.

CHEMISTRY 11. Inorganic Chemistry–III (Metal π-Complexes and Metal

Clusters)
Module 33: Preparation, structure and bonding of compounds
having M-M multiple bonds
 6

In this reaction, the Os6(CO)18 is the major product and can be separated by
chromatography.

4. Preparation of inorganic metal clusters

Chromium(II) carboxylates exist as dimer with general formula

and represents a class of compounds containing metal-metal multiple bond. It is prepared

by the addition of an aqueous solution of CrCl2 to an aqueous saturated solution of
Na[MeCO2].

These type of chromium dimers possess Cr-Cr quadruple bond.

Tungsten dimeric clusters can be synthesized by electrolytic reduction of tungstenoxide

in concentrated hydrochloric acid.

The [W2Cl9]3‒ ion is diamagnetic and possesses a W≡W triple bond with bond distance
of 242 pm. Oxidation of [W2Cl9]3‒ ion produces [W2Cl9]2‒ ion which has a lower bond
order of 2.4 and increased bond length of 254 pm.

CHEMISTRY 11. Inorganic Chemistry–III (Metal π-Complexes and Metal

Clusters)
Module 33: Preparation, structure and bonding of compounds
having M-M multiple bonds
 7

Refluxing an acetic acid solution of moybdenum hexacarbonyl would result in the

dimolybdenum tetraacetate intermediate which is a useful synthon for a variety of other
Mo cluster variants. Replacement of acetate with chloride ions using a solution of KCl in
HCl would give rise to the dimolybdenum octachoride custer.

The [Mo2Cl8]4‒ ion possess a metal-metal quadruple bond with a bond distance of 214 pm
and a bond order of 4.0. The oxidation state of Mo is +2.
The trirhenium nonachloride cluster complex can be easily synthesizes by heating ReCl5.

Interestingly, the trirhenium cluster has a triangular structure with three Re ions forming
a triangle where each Re ion is connected to the other by double bond with a bond
distance of 245 pm.

CHEMISTRY 11. Inorganic Chemistry–III (Metal π-Complexes and Metal

Clusters)
Module 33: Preparation, structure and bonding of compounds
having M-M multiple bonds
 8

The interesting dirhenium octachloride cluster [Re2Cl8]2‒ can be synthesized by the

reduction of [ReO4]‒ anion using hydrogen gas (H2) or [HPO2]2‒ in the presence HCl. The
product possesses a Re-Re quadruple bond with a bond distance of 224 pm.

5. Structure and bonding of metal-metal multiple bond containing

clusters

The chromium based dinuclear cluster containing metal-metal multiple bond has the
general formula as . The chromium ions share a quadruple bond.
Sometimes the ipso carbon is coordinated with ligands such as H2O and pyridine.

CHEMISTRY 11. Inorganic Chemistry–III (Metal π-Complexes and Metal

Clusters)
Module 33: Preparation, structure and bonding of compounds
having M-M multiple bonds
 9

The Cr-Cr bond length is normally 197 pm whereas this bond distance increases to 237
pm with ipso substitution by H2O and pyridyl ligand due to elongation of the Cr-Cr bond.
In the absence of ipso substitution i.e. in the absence of a axial ligand, the chromium
cluster associates to forms a 2-dimensional structure.

CHEMISTRY 11. Inorganic Chemistry–III (Metal π-Complexes and Metal

Clusters)
Module 33: Preparation, structure and bonding of compounds
having M-M multiple bonds
 10

The Cr(II) ion is diamagnetic in these structures where the d-electrons being invovled in
the quadruple bonding. The Cr atoms can be defined to lie on the z-axis and out of its
nine atomic orbitals each Cr atom uses four orbitals (s, px, py and dx2-y2) to form Cr-O
bonds. The px and dz2 orbital mix together to give two hybrid orbitals directed along the
z-axis (pxdz2 bonding and pxdz2 non-bonding). This bonding orbital overlaps to form a σ-
bond whereas the dxz ‒dxz and the dyz ‒dyz overlaps to degenrate a pair of π-orbitals and
finally the overlapping of the dxy orbitals leads to a δ-bond.

The degree of overlapping is in the order σ > π > δ as shown in the MO diagram below.

CHEMISTRY 11. Inorganic Chemistry–III (Metal π-Complexes and Metal

Clusters)
Module 33: Preparation, structure and bonding of compounds
having M-M multiple bonds
 11

The quadruple bond formation in the dimolybdenum and dirhenium clusters (given
below)can also explained on the basis of similar MO explanations.

CHEMISTRY 11. Inorganic Chemistry–III (Metal π-Complexes and Metal

Clusters)
Module 33: Preparation, structure and bonding of compounds
having M-M multiple bonds
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6. Summary

 Cluster compounds contain metal-metal single or multiple bonds and form rings or
linear chains. Apart from containing σ and π bonds, cluster complexes also display
δ bonds.
 Cluster complexes can be synthesized by various methods such as pyrolysis of
carbonyl clusters, nucleophilic attack on clusters, reductive elimination and attack
of metal precursors on multiple bond containing clusters.
 Cluster compounds can be divided into two types namely the organometallic
clusters containing the metal-metal single bonds and the inorganic metal clusters
containing the metal-metal multiple bonds.
 Inorganic clusters may contain quadruple bonds due to the formation of an extra
bond called δ bond which is formed by the overlapping of the dx2-y2 or dxy orbitals.
 The degree of overlapping and hence the bond strength is in the order σ > π > δ.

CHEMISTRY 11. Inorganic Chemistry–III (Metal π-Complexes and Metal

Clusters)
Module 33: Preparation, structure and bonding of compounds
having M-M multiple bonds