Butterfly cluster compound

Structure of [Re4(CO)12]2−, a butterfly cluster.

In the area of metal cluster chemistry, a butterfly cluster compound usually describes tetrametallic clusters containing five M-M bonds. A prototype of this motif is [Re4(CO)12]2−.[1] Most butterfly clusters have additional bridging ligands. One inexample is the tetraphosphide [[Rh<sub>4</sub>(CO)<sub>5</sub>(PPh<sub>2</sub>)<sub>5</sub>]]−. A carbide-containing butterfly cluster is [Fe4C(CO)12]2−.

Bonding in such clusters is often discussed in the context of polyhedral skeletal electron pair theory. This theory predicts that tetrametallic clusters with 60 valence electrons will adopt tetrahedral geometry with six M-M bonds. Tetrahedral clusters is classified as nido clusterrs. By addition of 2e, the 60e cluster opens one edge, as manifested in the butterfly motif.

References

  1. ↑ Sappa, E.; Tiripicchio, A.; Carty, A. J.; Toogood, G. E., "Butterfly Cluster Complexes of the Group VIII Transition Metals," in Progress in Inorganic Chemistry, 1987, vol. 35, p. 437.
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