cis-Dioxomolybdenum(VI) and oxo(phosphine oxide)molybdenum(IV) complexes: steric and electronic fine-tuning of cis-[MoOS]2+ precursors

The complexes cis-Tp(iPr)Mo(VI)O2(OAr) (Tp(iPr) = hydrotris(3-isopropylpyrazol-1-yl)borate, -OAr = phenolate or naphtholate derivative) are formed upon metathesis of Tp(iPr)MoO2Cl and HOAr/NEt3 in dichloromethane. The orange, diamagnetic dioxo-Mo(VI) complexes exhibit strong nu(MoO2) IR bands at ca. 930 and 905 cm(-1) and NMR spectra indicative of C(s) symmetry. They undergo electrochemically reversible, one-electron reductions at potentials in the range -0.714 to -0.855 V vs SCE (in MeCN) and react with PEt3 to produce Tp(iPr)Mo(IV)O(OAr)(OPEt3). The green, diamagnetic oxo-Mo(IV) complexes display a single nu(MoO) IR band at ca. 950 cm(-1) and exhibit NMR spectra indicative of C1 symmetry. The crystal structures of eight dioxo-Mo(VI) complexes have been determined to assess the degree of frontal (O3-donor face) steric congestion at the Mo center, to identify complexes amenable to conversion into monomeric oxosulfido-Mo(VI) derivatives. The complexes display distorted octahedral geometries, with a cis arrangement of terminal oxo ligands, with d(Mo=O)av = 1.694 A and angle(MoO2)av = 103.4 degrees. Maximal frontal steric congestion is observed in the 2-phenolate derivatives, and these are identified as precursors for strictly monomeric(solid and solution state) oxosulfido-Mo(VI) counterparts.