Transition metal-substituted paraffins: synthesis and properties of some μ-saturated heterobimetallic complexes containing Mo and W or Fe and the crystal structures of [(η5-C5H5)(CO)3W(CH2)3Mo(CO)2(PPh3)(η5-C5H5)] and [(η5-C5H5)(CO)2(PPh3)Mo(CH2)3Fe(CO)2(

The new heterobimetallic complexes [(η5-C5H5)(CO)3W(CH2)nMo(CO)3(η5-C5H5)] n=3 to 6; [(η5-C5H5)(CO)3W(CH2)nMo(CO)3(η5-C5(CH3)5)] n=3, 4; [(η5-C5H5)(CO)3W(CH2)nMo(CO)2(PPhiMe3 − i)(η5-C5H5)] and [(η5-C5H5)(CO)2Fe(CH2)nMo(CO)2(PPhiMe3 − i)(η5-C5H5)] (n=3,4 and i=0 to 3) were synthesized by direct displacement of the iodide of a metallo-iodoalkyl complex with the appropriate anion. The complexes have been fully characterised by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, COSY, HETCOR, HSQC and elemental analyses. X-ray diffraction studies were done on the complexes [(η5-C5H5)-(CO)3W(CH2)3Mo(CO)2(PPh3)(η5-C5H5)] and [(η5-C5H5)(CO)2(PPh3)Mo(CH2)3Fe-(CO)2(η5-C5H5)]. Both compounds form monoclinic crystals in the space group P21/c. The former has a W–C(alkyl) bond length of 2.316(7) Å and Mo–C(alkyl) bond length of 2.357(7) Å and the latter a Mo–C(alkyl) bond length of 2.374(2) Å and Fe–C(alkyl) bond length of 2.076(2) Å.