High yield synthesis and crystal structures of the Ru6–Sn cluster compounds [Ru6C(CO)16SnCl2] and [Ru6C(CO)16SnCl3]−

Addition of two molar equivalents of SnCl4 to [Ru6C(CO)16]2− yields first the new [Ru6C(CO)16SnCl3]− cluster anion and then [Ru6C(CO)16SnCl2], the latter being also the single product of the direct addition of SnCl2 to [Ru6C(CO)17].