Localized molecular orbitals and the problem of quasi-aromaticity in trinuclear molybdenum cluster compounds with cores of the type [MO3(μ3-X)(μ-Y)3] (X, Y = O, S, n = 4; X = O, Y = Cl, n = 5)

Calculations of localized molecular orbitals (LMO) and their energy levels for the cluster cores MO₃O₄]⁴⁺, MO₃SO₃]⁴⁺, MO₃OS₃]⁴⁺, Mo₃S₄]⁴⁺ and MO₃OCl₃]⁵⁺ have been made by the use of energy-localized CNDO/2-LMO. The results of these LMO calculations show that the six-membered closed and continuous π-conjugated systems around the MO₃Y₃] rings, each of which is formed from three synergically connected three-centered two-electron π bonds, is the most significant feature of the electronic structure for the quasi-aromatic clusters Mo₃(μ₃-Y)(μ-X)₃]⁴⁺ (X, Y = O, S), and the size and electronegativity of the bridging Y atoms exhibit significant effects on the degree of quasi-aromaticity of these cluster compounds. For the non-aromatic reference cluster Mo₃OCl₃]⁵⁺, the results of our calculations also show a bonding scheme with only one isolated π bond, thus leading to the loss of quasi-aromaticity; and meanwhile, there is a pair of extra electrons localized on the apical molybdenum atom of the Mo₃ triangle, thus with three Mo---Mo single bonds.