Carbomolybdate clusters formed by carbonyl insertion into molybdenum-oxygen bonds. Structural investigation of the [RMo4O15X] core (R = ---C9H4O, X = OCH3; R = ---C14H10, X = ---C7H5O2; R = C14H8, X = ---OH)

C₄H₉)₄N]₂Mo₂O₇] reacts with a variety of organic species containing α-diketone groups to give tetranuclear complexes of general composition RMo₄O₁₅X]³⁻. The complexes (C₄H₉)₄N]₃(C₉H₄O)Mo₄O₁₅(OCH₃)] (I), (C₄H₉)₄N]₃(C₁₄H₁₀)Mo₄O₁₅(C₆H₅CO₂)] (11) and (C₄H₉)₄N]₃(C₁₄H₈)Mo₄O₁₅(OH)] (III) were synthesized from the reactions of dimolybdate with ninhydrin, benzil and phenanthraquinone, respectively. Complex II may also be prepared from dimolybdate and benzoin in acetonitrile-methanol solution, from which it co-crystallizes with the binuclear species (C₄H₉)₄N]₂Mo₂O₅(C₆H₅C(O)C(O)C₆H₅)₂] · CH₃CN · CH₃OH (IV). Complexes I–III exhibit the tetranuclear core, previously described for the α-glyoxal derivatives (C₄H₉)₄N]₃(HCCH)Mo₄O₁₅X], where X = F⁻ or HCO₂⁻. The ligands may be formally described as diketals, formed by insertion of ligand carbonyl subunits into molybdenum-oxygen bonds. The structures I–III differ most dramatically in the identity and coordination mode of the anionic ligand X⁻ which occupies a position opposite the diketal moiety relative to the Mo₄O₁₁]²⁺ central cage. Thus, I exhibits a doubly bridging methoxy group in this position, while II possesses a benzoate ligand with an unusual μ₃-O,O′coordination mode. Complex III presents a hydroxy-group unsymmetrically bonded to three of the molybdenum centres. The stereochemical consequences of the various coordination modes are discussed. Crystal data: Compound I, monoclinic space group Pc, a = 24.888(2), b = 12.897(3), c = 24.900(3) Å, β = 101.94(2)°, D_calc = 1.28 g cm⁻¹ for Z = 4. Structure solution and refinement based on 8695 reflections with F_o 6σ(F_o) (Mo-K_α, λ = 0.71073 Å) converged at a conventional discrepancy factor of 0.060. Compound II, orthorhombic space group Pbca, a = 20.426(6), b = 26.916(6), c = 32.147(7) Å, V = 17673.2(20) ų, D_calc = 1.33 g cm⁻³ for Z = 8; 5224 reflections, R = 0.076. Compound III, tetragonal space group I4₁/a, a = b = 48.129(6), c = 13.057(2) Å, V = 30246.2(12) ų, D_calc = 1.35 g cm⁻³ for Z = 16; 5554 reflections, R = 0.053. Compound IV, orthorhombic space group Pnca, a = 16.097(4), b = 16.755(4), c = 25.986(7) Å, V = 7008.1(13) ų, Z = 4, D_calc = 1.18 g cm⁻³ ; 2944 reflections, R = 0.061.