The complex salts [Et3NH][(μ-RS)(μ-CO)Fe2(CO)6] (1: R = Et, t-Bu, Ph), prepared from
Fe3(CO)12, RSH, and Et3N, react in situ with the triply bonded dimers [(η5-R‘C5H4)(CO)2M]2
(2: M = Mo, W; R‘ = H, MeCO, MeO2C, EtO2C) followed by treatment with air to give the
series of novel clusters (η5-R‘C5H4)(CO)2MoFe2(μ3-O)(μ-RS)(CO)6 (compound, R, R‘: 3a, Et,
H; 3b, t-Bu, H; 3c, Et, MeCO; 3d, t-Bu, MeO2C; 3e, Ph, MeO2C; 3f, Et, EtO2C; 3g, t-Bu,
EtO2C; 3h, Ph, EtO2C) in 26−37% yields and (η5-R‘C5H4)(CO)2WFe2(μ3-O)(μ-RS)(CO)6
(compound, R, R‘: 3i, Et, MeO2C; 3j, t-Bu, MeO2C; 3k, Et, EtO2C) in 12−17% yields. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses of 3d and 3k confirmed that (i) these clusters consist of
the M−S (M = Mo, W) edge-opened square-pyramidal cluster skeleton MFe2SO with the M
atom occupying its apical position and the Fe2OS atoms constructing its pyramid base and
(ii) clusters 3d and 3k are single isomers in which the t-Bu and Et groups are bonded to the
bridged S atoms by an equatorial type of bond.