the present invention is directed to the synthesis of novel stable open metal clusters by selective oxidation of bound ligands . the synthesis comprises , for example , using an amine based oxidant for decarbonylation of specific carbonyl ligands . the synthesis can also comprise further removal of a bound amine group by an acid . the resulting metal cluster contains a coordinatively unsaturated site comprising a carbonyl vacancy . the resulting metal cluster can be used as a catalyst in a variety of chemical transformations .