Dinuclear Tungsten, Molybdenum, and Ruthenium Complexes Derived from 1,2-Bis(3-indenyl)ethane

Treatment of dilithiated 1,2-bis(3-indenyl)ethane with M(CO)5(THF) (M = Mo, W) followed by oxidation provided the metal−metal bonded compounds M2(CO)6{μ-(η5-C9H6)2C2H4} (1, M = W; 2, M = Mo) as a mixture of meso and rac diastereomers. Under illumination in chlorinated solvents 1 gave W(CO)3{μ-(η1:η5-C9H5)C2H4(η5-C9H6)}W(CO)3Cl (3). Heating a mixture of Ru3(CO)12 and 1,2-bis(3-indenyl)ethane in xylene afforded two dinuclear compounds, Ru2(CO)4{μ-(η5-C9H6)2C2H4} (4) and {Ru(CO)2(η5-C9H6C2H4C9H7)}2 (5). The crystal structures of 1- rac , 3a, and 4- rac were determined by X-ray crystallography.