Preparation of a "twisted basket" Mn(4)N(8) cluster: a two-hydrogen-atom reduced analogue of the Mn(4)N(8) pinned butterfly.

Mn4(μ-NHPh)4(μ-PhNNPh-κ(2)N,N')2(py)4 () is synthesized via self assembly from dimeric Mn2(μ-NHPh)2(NR2)2 and PhNHNHPh (R = SiMe3). This cluster represents the N-N cleaved version of the previously-reported Mn4(μ-NHPh)2(μ3-PhNNPh-κ(3)N,N')2(μ-PhNNPh-κ(2)N,N')(py)4 "pinned butterfly" cluster (), formally reduced by two hydrogen atoms. Cluster may be converted to by addition of N,N'-diphenylhydrazine as a two-electron reductant.