A series of new water soluble and stable organometallic compounds is reported, and the peculiar role of water in their formation and stabilization is documented together with their catalytic properties in aqueous solution. The complex fac-Ru(OCOCF(3))(2)(CO)(3)(H(2)O) (1) constitutes the entry to a new type of aqueous organometallic chemistry. The substitution of trifluoroacetato ligands by H(2)O yields [fac-Ru(CO)(3)(H(2)O)(3)](2+) (2), isolated as the tetrafluoroborate derivative, the first structurally characterized complex bearing CO and H(2)O ligands only. In water, 2 undergoes nucleophilic attack by the solvent yielding [fac-Ru(COOH)(CO)(2)(H(2)O)(3)](+) (3), followed by CO(2) elimination to give [fac-RuH(CO)(2)(H(2)O)(3)](+) (4), a ruthenium(II) hydride devoid of group-15-donor coligands and stable toward strong acids. 4 inserts ethene in water to give [fac-Ru(C(2)H(5))(CO)(2)(H(2)O)(3)](+) (5), an exceptionally inert alkyl complex which inserts CO yielding [fac-Ru(C(O)C(2)H(5))(CO)(2)(H(2)O)(3)](+) (6). Attempts to isolate the mononuclear cationic acyl complex gave the tetranuclear Ru(4)(C(O)C(2)H(5))(4)(OH)(2)(CF(3)SO(3))(2)(CO)(8) (7). At 140 degrees C the mononuclear organometallic complexes become labile intermediates of a Reppe hydrocarboxylation of ethene in fully aqueous solvent.

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Useful synthons containing the tribridged triangular unit {Pt(3)} = [Pt(3)(mu-P(t)Bu(2))(3)](+) were prepared starting from the known tricarbonyl derivative [{Pt(3)}(CO)(3)]Z, [(1(+))Z, Z = CF(3)SO(3)(-)]. This was easily converted into the monohalides {Pt(3)}(CO)(2)X [2, X = Cl; 3, X = Br; 4, X = I], by reaction with the appropriate halide salt. The coupling reaction between 2 and terminal alkynes in the presence of CuI afforded in good yields the sigma-alkynyl derivatives {Pt(3)}(CO)(2)(CC-R) [6, R = SiMe(3); 7, R = CC-SiMe(3); 8, R = C(6)H(5); 9, R = C(6)H(4)-4-Br; 10, R = C(6)H(4)-4-CCH; 11, R = 2-C(4)H(2)S-5-CCH; 12, R = 9-C(14)H(8)-10-CCH], while desilylation of 6 or 7 with TBAF/THF gave, respectively, the derivatives 13 (R = H) and 14 (R = CCH). The stepwise elongation of the arylalkynyl chain was obtained by the Sonogashira coupling of 10 with an excess of 1,4-diiodobenzene, which produced 15 (R = C(6)H(4)-4-CC-C(6)H(4)-4-I), and by coupling the latter with an excess of 1,4-diethynylbenzene, which formed 16 (R = [C(6)H(4)-4-CC](3)H). Branched synthons were obtained by substitution of the carbonyl ligands with functional isocyanides; the reaction of an excess of CN-C(6)H(4)-4-R (R = I, CCH) with {Pt(3)}(CO)(2)H, 5, or with complex (1(+))Z afforded, respectively, {Pt(3)}(CN-C(6)H(4)-4-I)(2)H, 17, or [{Pt(3)}(CN-C(6)H(4)-4-R)(3)]Z [(18(+))Z, R = I; (19(+))Z, R = CCH]. The crystal structures of complexes 2, 8, and 9 were established by X-ray diffraction studies. The electrochemical characterization of representative examples of the clusters prepared in this work shows that all clusters are characterized by the presence of two oxidations; an analysis of ligands' effects on the redox processes is also included.

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