Rh6CO16

Rh6CO16 is a chemical compound with the formula Rh6(CO)16. It is a member of the carbonyl cluster compounds, which are organometallic complexes containing metal-carbon bonds. Rh6CO16 is notable for its high nuclearity, with six rhodium atoms coordinated to 16 carbonyl ligands.

The compound was first synthesized in 1964 by the research group of Geoffrey Wilkinson. It is typically prepared by the reaction of rhodium trichloride with carbon monoxide under high pressure and temperature. The synthesis involves the reduction of Rh3+ to Rh0, with the formation of Rh-Rh bonds and the coordination of CO ligands.

Rh6CO16 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c. The structure consists of a rhombus of four rhodium atoms, with two additional rhodium atoms bridging the rhombus. The carbonyl ligands are arranged in a staggered fashion around the rhodium atoms, with each rhodium atom coordinated to three carbonyl ligands.

The compound is air- and moisture-sensitive, and it decomposes upon exposure to light. It is soluble in organic solvents such as benzene and chloroform, but insoluble in water. Rh6CO16 is a useful precursor for the synthesis of other rhodium carbonyl clusters and rhodium-containing catalysts.