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GATE 2023 CY – Question 59

Inorganic Chemistry · Organometallics: 18-Electron rule; metal-alkyl, metal-carbonyl, metal-olefin and metal-carbene complexes and metallocenes. Fluxionality in organometallic complexes. Types of organometallic reactions. Homogeneous catalysis – Hydrogenation, hydroformylation, methanol to acetic acid process, olefin metathesis and Wacker oxidation. Heterogeneous catalysis – Fischer-Tropsch reaction, Ziegler-Natta polymerization. · 2 marks · Numerical answer

The number of carbons directly connected to the metal centre in $[W(C_{60})(CO)_5]$ is ______ (nearest integer). Atomic number of W is 74.

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Correct answer: 7 to 7

Explanation

Neutral W is group 6 and provides 6 electrons; five CO ligands provide 10, leaving two electrons for an eighteen-electron complex. Fullerene therefore binds as an η2 alkene involving two C atoms. Add the five carbonyl carbon donors to obtain **7 directly bound carbons**.