The molybdenum-molybdenum triple bond—XVII. Syntheses,spectroscopic and structural characterizations of Mo4F4(O—t-Bu)8 and Mo2F2(O—t-Bu)4(PMe3)2 (MoMo)

Hydrocarbon solutions of Mo₂(O—t-Bu)₆ and PF₃ (2 equiv) yield Mo₄F₄(O—t-Bu)₈, I, and PF₂(O—t-Bu). Compound I contains a bisphenoid of molybdenum atoms with two short MoMo distances, 2.26 Å, and four long MoMo distances, 3.75 Å, corresponding to localized MoMo triple bonding and non-bonding distances, respectively. The tetranuclear compound may be viewed as a dimer, Mo₂(μ₂-F)₂(O-t-Bu)₄]₂, and addition of PMe₃ to hydrocarbon solutions of I yields Mo₂F₂(O—t-Bu)₄(PMe₃)₂, II, which contains an unbridged MoMo triple bond of distance 2.27 Å. Each molybdenum atom is coordinated to two oxygen atoms, one fluorine atom and the phosphorus atom of the PMe₃ ligand in a roughly square planar manner. The overall central Mo₂O₄F₂P₂ skeleton has C₂ symmetry and NMR studies (¹H, ¹⁹F and ³¹P) are consistent with the maintenance of this type of structure in solution. Infrared and electronic absorption spectral data are reported. These are the first compounds containing fluorine ligands attached to the (MoMo)⁶⁺ unit.