Basic Metal Complexes: Crystal Structures of Cyclopentadienylcobalt(I)-bis(trimethylphosphine) and Cyclopentadienylcobalt(I)-(trimethylphosphine)(ethylene)

Abstract

The title complexes [(C₅H₅)Co(PMe₃)₂] 1 and [(C₅H₅)Co(PMe₃)(C₂H₄)] 2b adopt the two-legged piano-stool molecular geometry, with a remarkably similar coordination geometry around the cobalt atom. The rather long carbon-carbon bond of the ethylene ligand in 2b underlines the pronounced donor properties of the PMe₃ ligand, causing a highly basic site.