Peraurated nickel carbide carbonyl clusters: the cationic [Ni6(C)(CO)8(AuPPh3)8]2+monocarbide and the [Ni12(C)(C2)(CO)17(AuPPh3)3]−anion containing one carbide and one acetylide unit

Two new peraurated Ni-carbide carbonyl clusters have been prepared and structurally characterized, i.e. [Ni-6(C)(CO)(8)(AuPPh3)(8)](2+) and [Ni-12(C)(C-2)(CO)(17)(AuPPh3)(3)](-). The latter is the first molecular cluster containing one carbide atom and one tightly bonded C-2-unit. These display sub-van der Weals contacts suggesting the incipient formation of more extended C-C bonding