The cluster acid
CpM‘(CO)2Co2(CO)6(μ3-CCOOH)
(M‘ = Mo, W; Cp = η5-C5H5),
1, has been
synthesized in good yield from the protected
(CO)9Co3(μ3-CC(O)OR)
cluster by metal fragment
exchange followed by acid hydrolysis. The protonolysis of group 4
M(IV)(OR)4 (M = Zr, Ti)
organic alkoxides with this new cluster acid leads to trimetal cluster
M(IV) alkoxycarboxylates. The products, which were isolated in good yield as
crystalline substances and
characterized spectroscopically as well as crystallographically, are
Zr2(μ-OH)2{μ-CpMo(CO)2Co2(CO)6(μ3-CCO2)}2{η2-CpMo(CO)2Co2(CO)6(μ3-CCO2)}4,
2;
Ti4(μ3-O)4(OR)2)4{μ-CpM‘(CO)2Co2(CO)6(μ3-CCO2)}4,
3 (M‘ = Mo, R = CH(CH2)3,
3a; M‘ = W, R =
CH(CH2)3, 3b; M‘ =
Mo,
R = C2H5,
3c; M‘ = W, R =
C2H5,
3d).
Direct comparison of this chemistry with that of
[(CO)9Co3(μ3-CCO2)]-,
which is of similar size, shows the importance of the
electronic
properties of the cluster substituent in the metal coordination
chemistry of the carboxylate
functionality. The exclusive binding of the proximal isomer of the
cluster ligand (Cp ring
adjacent to the capping carbon) relative to the more stable distal
isomer (Cp ring positioned
away from the capping carbon) provides definitive evidence for the
existence of a cluster
electronic effect in the coordination properties of the attached
[−CO2]- group. The
significantly different chemistry of cluster vs organic ligands arises
in part from this electronic
effect.