[(CO)4W(PH3)2] as a source of semi-interstitial phosphorous ligands in cobalt carbonyl clusters

The PH3-containing complex [(CO)4W(PH3)2] (1) is synthesized in good yields by the “one-pot” reaction of [(CO)4W(nbd)] (nbd = norbonadiene) with P(SiMe3)3 and subsequent methanolysis of the reaction mixture. The further reaction of [(CO)4W(PH3)2] with [Co2(CO)8] results in three novel cobalt clusters, [Co8(CO)18(μ6-P)2(μ-CO)] (2), [Co10(CO)18(μ7-P)2(μ-CO)6] (3), and [[Co3(CO)8{μ4-PW(CO)5}][(μ4-P)Co3(CO)9]] (4). All products have been comprehensively characterized including X-ray diffraction