Synthesis and molecular structure of [((CO)3RuBr2)2(μ-SePh)2Ru(CO)4] cluster with a Ru3Se2 chain core

Treatment of ruthenium carbonyl, [Ru3(CO)12] with phenylseleno tribromide PhSeBr3 afforded a new triruthenium cluster, [(CO)10Br4Ru3(μ-SePh)2] (1). Its molecular structure was determined by single crystal XRD method (P21/c; a = 10.514(3) Å; b = 10.814(3) Å; c = 19.063(5) Å; β = 105.064(4)°; V = 2093.1(10) Å3) and shown to have two lateral Ru(CO)3Br2 units attached via two PhSe bridges to a Ru(CO)4 center forming a chain-like Ru–Se–Ru–Se–Ru cluster core. This is in contrast with a recently reported reaction of PhTeBr3 with [Ru3(CO)12] which formed a monomeric complex of ruthenium-dicarbonyl-dibromo fragment coordinating two PhTeBr ligands, [(CO)2RuBr2(PhTeBr)2].