Structural and magnetic studies of the tris(cyclopentadienyl)manganese(II) "paddle-wheel" anions [Cp(3-n)(MeCp)(n)Mn](-) (n=0-3, MeCp=C(5)H(4)CH(3), Cp=C(5)H(5)).

The ion-contact complexes [{(eta(5)-Cp)(2)Mn(eta(2):eta(5)-Cp)K}(3)]x0.5 THF (1x0.5 THF) and [{(eta(2)-Cp)(2)(eta(2);eta(5)-MeCp)MnK(thf)}]x2 THF (2x2 THF) and ion-separated complexes [Mg(thf)(6)][(eta(2)-Cp)(3)Mn](2) (3), [Mg(thf)(6)][(eta(2)-Cp)(eta(2)-MeCp)(2)Mn)](2)x0.

Highly selective epoxidation of styrene using a transition metal-aluminium(III) complex containing the [MeAl(2-py)3]- anion (2-py = 2-pyridyl).

The reactions of [MeAl(2-py)3Li.thf] (1) with FeCl2 or Cp2Mn in toluene-thf give simple access to the Group 13-transition metal heterometallic complexes [{MeAl(2-py)3}2M][M = Fe (2), Mn (3)]; complex has been shown to be a highly selective styrene epoxidation catalyst in air.

Syntheses, structures and magnetic properties of Mn(II) dimers [CpMn(micro-X)]2(Cp = C5H5; X = RNH, R1R2N, C[triple bond]CR).

Manganocene, Cp(2)Mn, has been employed as a precursor in the synthesis of a range of Mn(II) dimers of the type [CpMn(micro-X)](2)[X = 8-NHC(9)H(6)N (1), N(Ph)(C(5)H(4)N)(2), N(4-EtC(6)H(4))(C(5)H(4)N)(3) and C[triple bond]CPh (4)] as well as the bis-adduct [Cp(2)Mn[HN=C(NMe(2))(2)](2)](5). The solid-state structures of 1-5 are reported. Variable-temperature magnetic measurements have been used to assess the extent of Mn(micro-X)Mn communication within the dimers of 1-4 as a function of the bridging ligands (X).

Syntheses and magnetic properties of hexanuclear [Cp2Mn3(L1)4]2 and octanuclear [Mn8(L2)12(mu 4-O)2] (L1 = 2-HNC5H5N, L2 = 2-NH-3-Br-5-MeC5H3N, Cp = C5H5).

The reactions of manganocene, Cp2Mn, with 2-aminopyridine (L1H) or 2-amino-3-bromo-5-methylpyridine (L2H) give the novel hexanuclear and octanuclear Mn(II) amido cage compounds [Cp2Mn3(L1)4]2 (1) and [Mn8(L2)12(mu 4-O)2] (2); magnetic measurements on which provide a rare insight into the magnetic properties of amido-bridged metal clusters.