Preparation of complexes formed in the reaction between dicobaltoctacarbonyl and tetraalkyldiphosphine disulfides, R2P(S)P(S)R2 (R = Me, Et, n-Pr, n-Bu)

Co2(CO)8 and R2P(S)P(S)R2 (R = Me, Et, n-Pr, n-Bu) react to form the three types of cluster complexes [Co2(µ-CO)(µ4-S)(CO)4]2, (1), [Co4(CO)9(µ3-S)(µ-PR2)2] (2A)-(2D), [(2A), R = Me; (2B), R = Et; (2C), R = n-Pr; (2D), R = n-Bu] and [Co3(CO)7(µ3-S)(SPR2)] (3A)-(3D), [(3A), R = Me; (3B), R = Et; (3C), R = n-Pr; (3D), R = n-Bu]. The structure of (2A) and the disubstituted triphenylphosphine derivative of (3A) were reported previously. The complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, FT-IR and 31P-[1H] NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry.