The complexes [(eta-C(5)Me(5))(ON)LMn(micro-CN)M(CO)(RC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CR)Tp'](+) (L = CNXyl, M = Mo; L = CNBu(t), M = Mo or W, R = Ph or Me) and trans- or cis-[(dppm){(EtO)(3)P}(OC)(2)Mn(micro-CN)M(CO)(PhC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CPh)Tp'](+), and their linkage isomers [(eta-C(5)Me(5))(ON)LMn(micro-NC)M(CO)(PhC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CPh)Tp'](+) and trans- or cis-[(dppm){(EtO)(3)P}(OC)(2)Mn(micro-NC)M(CO)(PhC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CPh)Tp'](+), undergo two one-electron oxidations. The complexes [(eta-C(5)Me(5))(ON)LMn(micro-XY)M(CO)(RC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CR)Tp'](+) (XY = CN or NC) are oxidised first at the N-bound metal centre and then at the C-bound centre. For [(dppm){(EtO)(3)P}(OC)(2)Mn(micro-XY)M(CO)(PhC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CPh)Tp'](+), the trans isomers are first oxidised at manganese whereas the cis isomers are first oxidised at M. Thus, the order of one-electron oxidation of the two series of binuclear monocations is influenced by linkage isomerisation of the cyanide bridge and cis-trans isomerisation of the Mn(CO)(2) group. IR spectroscopic changes on reaction of Ag(+) with [(eta-C(5)Me(5))(ON)(Bu(t)NC)Mn(micro-CN)W(CO)(MeC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CMe)Tp'](+) are consistent with one-electron at the N-bound tungsten centre. Likewise, trans-[(dppm){(EtO)(3)P}(OC)(2)Mn(micro-NC)M(CO)(PhC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CPh)Tp'](+) (M = Mo or W) give the stable dications [(dppm){(EtO)(3)P}(OC)(2)Mn(micro-NC)M(CO)(PhC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CPh)Tp'](2+). Significantly longer Mn-P bond distances in trans-[(dppm){(EtO)(3)P}(OC)(2)Mn(micro-NC)Mo(CO)(PhC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CPh)Tp'](2+) than in trans-[(dppm){(EtO)(3)P}(OC)(2)Mn(micro-NC)Mo(CO)(PhC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CPh)Tp'](+) are consistent with one-electron oxidation first at Mn(I); the alignment of the (CN)Mn(CO)(2){P(OEt)(3)}(dppm) fragment relative to the alkyne in trans-[(dppm){(EtO)(3)P}(OC)(2)Mn(micro-NC)Mo(CO)(PhC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CPh)Tp'](+) suggests it acts as a pi-acceptor, in contrast to related species such as trans-(NC)Mn(CO)(2){P(OEt)(3)}(dppm) and (NC)Mn(NO){P(OPh)(3)}(pi-C(5)H(4)Me) which behave as simple N-donors.

Two series of stable cyanide-bridged linkage isomers, namely [(o-O2C6Cl4)(Ph3P)(OC)2Ru(mu-XY)MnL(NO)(eta-C5Me5)] (XY = CN or NC, L = CNBu(t) or CNXyl) and [(o-O2C6Cl4)L(OC)2Ru(mu-XY)M(CO)(PhC-CPh)Tp'] {M = Mo or W, L = PPh3 or P(OPh)3, Tp' = hydrotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)borate} have been synthesised; pairs of isomers are distinguishable by IR spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The molecular structure of [(o-O2C6Cl4)(Ph3P)(OC)2Ru(mu-NC)Mo(CO)(PhC-CPh)Tp'] has the catecholate-bound ruthenium atom cyanide-bridged to a Mo(CO)(PhC[triple band]CPh)Tp' unit in which the alkyne acts as a four-electron donor; the alignment of the alkyne relative to the Mo-CO vector suggests the fragment (CN)Ru(CO)2(PPh3)(o-O2C6Cl4) acts as a pi-acceptor ligand. The complexes [(o-O2C6Cl4)(Ph3P)(OC)2Ru(mu-XY)Mn(NO)L(eta-C5Me5)] undergo three sequential one-electron oxidation processes with the first and third assigned to oxidation of the ruthenium-bound o-O2C6Cl4 ligand; the second corresponds to oxidation of Mn(I) to Mn(n). The complexes [(o-O2C6Cl4)L(OC)2Ru(mu-XY)M(CO)(PhC[triple band]CPh)Tp'] are also first oxidised at the catecholate ligand; the second oxidation, and one-electron reduction, are based on the M(CO)(PhC[triple band]CPh)Tp' fragment. Chemical oxidation of [(o-O,C6Cl4)(Ph3P)(OC)2Ru(mu-XY)MnL(NO)(eta-C5Me5)] with [Fe(eta-C5H4COMe)(eta-C5H5)][BF4], or of [(o-O2C6Cl4)L(OC)2Ru(mu-XY)M(CO)(PhC[triple band]CPh)Tp'] with AgBF4, gave the paramagnetic monocations [(o-O2C6Cl4)(Ph3P)(OC)2Ru(mu-XY)MnL(NO)(eta-C5Me5)]+ and [(o-O2C6Cl4)L(OC)2Ru(mu-XY)M(CO)(PhC[triple band]CPh)Tp']+, the ESR spectra of which are consistent with ruthenium-bound semiquinone ligands. Linkage isomers are distinguishable by the magnitude of the 31P hyperfine coupling constant; complexes with N-bound Ru(o-O2C6Cl4) units also show small hyperfine coupling to the nitrogen atom of the cyanide bridge.

The salts [NEt4][Ru(CN)(CO)2L(o-O2C6Cl4)] {L=PPh3 or P(OPh)3}, which undergo one-electron oxidation at the catecholate ligand to give neutral semiquinone complexes [Ru(CN)(CO)2L(o-O2C6Cl4)], react with the dimers [{Ru(CO)2L(micro-o-O2C6Cl4)}2] {L=PPh3 or P(OPh)3} to give [NEt4][(o-O2C6Cl4)L(OC)2Ru(micro-CN)Ru(CO)2L'(o-O2C6Cl4)] {L or L'=PPh3 or P(OPh)3}. The cyanide-bridged binuclear anions are, in turn, reversibly oxidised to isolable neutral and cationic complexes [(o-O2C6Cl4)L(OC)2Ru(micro-CN)Ru(CO)2L'(o-O2C6Cl4)] and [(o-O2C6Cl4)L(OC)2Ru(micro-CN)Ru(CO)2L'(o-O2C6Cl4)]+ which contain one and two semiquinone ligands respectively. Structural studies on the redox pair [(o-O2C6Cl4)(Ph3P)(OC)2Ru(micro-CN)Ru(CO)2(PPh3)(o-O2C6Cl4)]- and [(o-O2C6Cl4)(Ph3P)(OC)2Ru(micro-CN)Ru(CO)2(PPh3)(o-O2C6Cl4)] confirm that the C-bound Ru(CO)2(o-O2C6Cl4) fragment is oxidised first. Uniquely, [(o-O2C6Cl4){(PhO)3P}(OC)2Ru(micro-CN)Ru(CO)2(PPh3)(o-O2C6Cl4)]- is oxidised first at the N-bound fragment, indicating that it is possible to control the site of electron transfer by tuning the co-ligands. Crystallisation of [(o-O2C6Cl4)(Ph3P)(OC)2Ru(micro-CN)Ru(CO)2{P(OPh)3}(o-O2C6Cl4)] resulted in the formation of an isomer in which the P(OPh)3 ligand is cis to the cyanide bridge, contrasting with the trans arrangement of the X-Ru-L fragment in all other complexes of the type RuX(CO)2L(o-O2C6Cl4).