Generation of AuPd22/Au2Pd21 analogues of the high-nuclearity Pd23(CO)20(PEt3)10 cluster containing 19-atom centered hexacapped-cuboctahedral (nu 2-octahedral) metal fragment: structural-to-synthesis approach concerning formation of Au2Pd21(CO)20(PEt3)10.

Reactions of Pd(PEt(3))(2)Cl(2) and Au(PPh(3))Cl in DMF with NaOH under CO atmosphere gave rise to the unique capped three-shell homopalladium Pd(145)(CO)(x)(PEt(3))(30)(x approximately 60) and two neutral Au-Pd clusters: Au(2)Pd(21)(CO)(20)(PEt(3))(10) (1) and Au(2)Pd(41)(CO)(27)(PEt(3))(15)(following article). Similar reactions with Pd(PMe(3))(2)Cl(2) being used in place of Pd(PEt(3))(2)Cl(2) afforded Au(2)Pd(21)(CO)(20)(PMe(3))(10) (2), the trimethylphosphine analogue of, and the electronically equivalent AuPd(22)(CO)(20)(PPh(3))(4)(PMe(3))(6) monoanion (3) as the PPh(4) salt. Each of these three air-sensitive 23-atom heterometallic Au-Pd clusters was obtained in low yields (7-25%); however, their geometrical similarities with the known cuboctahedral-based homopalladium Pd(23)(CO)(20)(PEt(3))(10) (4), recently obtained in good yields from Pd(10)(CO)(12)(PEt(3))(6), suggested an alternative preparative route for obtaining. This "structure-to-synthesis" approach afforded 1 in 60-70% yields from reactions of Pd(10)(CO)(12)(PEt(3))(6) and Au(PPh(3))Cl in DMF with NaOH under N(2) atmosphere. Both the compositions and atomic arrangements for 1, 2 and 3 were unambiguously established from low-temperature single-crystal CCD X-ray crystallographic determinations in accordance with their nearly identical IR carbonyl frequencies. Cluster 1 was also characterized by (31)P[(1)H] NMR, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and elemental analysis. The virtually identical Au(2)Pd(21) core-architectures of 1 and 2 closely resemble that of 4, which consists of a centered hexa(square capped)-cuboctahedral Pd(19) fragment of pseudo-O(h) symmetry that alternatively may be viewed as a centered Pd(19)nu(2)-octahedron (where nu(n) designates (n + 1) equally spaced atoms along each edge). AuPd(22)(CO)(20)(PPh(3))(4)(PMe(3))(6) (3) in the crystalline state (PPh(4) salt) consists of two crystallographically independent monoanions 3A and 3B; a superposition analysis ascertained that their geometries are essentially equivalent. A CV indicates that reversibly undergoes two one-electron reductions and two one-electron oxidations; these reversible redox processes form the basis for an integrated structural/electronic picture that is compatible with the existence of the electronically-equivalent 1-3 along with the electronically-nonequivalent 4 (with two fewer CVEs) and other closely related species.