Crystal structure and catalytic properties of a platinum–iridium mixed cluster, [Pt2Ir2(µ-CO)3(CO)4(PPh3)3]

The compound [Pt2Ir2(CO)7(PPh3)3] has been synthesised from [Pt12(CO)24]2– and [Ir(CO)Cl(PPh3)2]. A single-crystal X-ray structure determination (space group P, Z= 2, R= 0.050 for 5 402 reflections) has shown that the metal atoms adopt a butterfly configuration with the iridium and platinum atoms occupying hinge and wing-tip positions respectively. The mixed-metal cluster is an active catalyst for hydrogenation of