Bis{[μ-bis(diphenylarsino)methane-1:2κ2As:As′]nonacarbonyl-1κ3C,2κ3C,3κ3C-[tris(4-chlorophenyl)phosphine-3κP]-triangulo-triruthenium(0)}chloroform monosolvate

The asymmetric unit of the title triangulo-triruthenium compound, 2[Ru-3(C25H22As2)(C18H12Cl3P)(CO)(9)]center dot CHCl3, consists of two molecules (A and B) of the triangulo-triruthenium complex and one molecule of chloroform solvent. The bis(diphenylarsino)methane ligand bridges an Ru-Ru bond and the monodentate phosphine ligand bonds to the third Ru atom. Both the phosphine and arsine ligands are equatorial with respect to the Ru-3 triangle. In addition, each Ru atom carries one equatorial and two axial terminal carbonyl ligands. The three phosphine-substituted benzene rings make dihedral angles of 73.5 (3), 57.2 (3) and 75.7 (3)degrees with each other in molecule A, while these angles are 60.7 (3), 86.8 (3) and 54.9 (3)degrees in molecule B. The dihedral angles between the two benzene rings are 87.3 (3) and 89.6 (3)degrees for the two diphenylarsino groups in molecule A and 85.6 (3) and 87.7 (3)degrees in molecule B. In the crystal packing, the molecules are linked into a three-dimensional framework via intermolecular C-H center dot center dot center dot O and C-H center dot center dot center dot Cl hydrogen bonds. Weak intermolecular C-H center dot center dot center dot pi interactions furture stabilize the crystal structure. The crystal studied was an inversion twin, the refined ratio of twin components being 0.480 (7):0.520 (7).