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Hexadecacarbonylhexarhodium
CAS# formula C16O16Rh6 melting point of 235°C molecular weight of 1065.62 Names: Hexadecacarbonylhexarhodium

Hexadecacarbonylhexarhodium is a metal carbonyl cluster with the formula Rh6(CO)16. It is exists as black crystals that are soluble in organic solvents. .1

Discovery and Synthesis

Rh6(CO)16 was first prepared by Heiber in 1943 by carbonylation of RhCl3•3H2O at 80-230°C and 200 atm CO with silver or copper as a halide acceptor. It was incorrectly formulated as Rh4(CO)11. Subsequently, the carbonylation of a mixture of anhydrous rhodium trichloride and pentacarbonyliron was shown to give good yields of Rh6(CO)16. 2 Other compounds of rhodium are also effective precursors such as Rh2Cl2(CO)4 and rhodium(II) acetate:3

3Rh2(O2CCH3)4 + 22CO + 6H2O  Rh6(CO)16 + 6CO2 + 12CH3CO2H

Rh2Cl2(CO)4 + 4CO + 6Cu  Cu6(CO)16 + 6CuCl

Structure The

Reactions and Applications

Rh6(CO)16 catalyzes a number of organic reactions including hydrogenations and hydroformylation.1

References: 1 Shanklin, Michael S. Doyle, Michael P. Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis (2001).

DOI: 10.1016/S0022-328X(00)87682-2

3 B.R. James, G. L. Rempel and W.K. Teo “Hexadecacarbonylhexarhodium.” Inorganic Syntheses, 16, 49 (1976). DOI: 10.1002/9780470132470.ch15