Coordination of Phenylsulfinate PhSO2— to Mo3MS44+ Clusters (M = Ni,Pd)

Reaction of heterometal cuboidal clusters [Mo₃(MCl)S₄(H₂O)₉]³⁺ (M = Ni, Pd) with PhSO₂Na in aqueous HCl leads to the substitution at Ni or Pd to give the [Mo₃(M(PhSO₂))(H₂O)_9—xCl_x]^(3—x)+species, isolated as supramolecular adducts with cucurbituril (Cuc) [Mo₃(Ni(PhSO₂))S₄Cl_1.17(H₂O)_7.83][Mo₃(Ni(PhSO₂))S₄Cl_2.22(H₂O)_6.78]Cl_2.61 · Cuc · 15H₂O ( 1 ) and [Mo₃(Pd(PhSO₂))S₄Cl_1.12(H₂O)_7.88][Mo₃(Pd(PhSO₂))S₄Cl_2.29(H₂O)_6.71]Cl_2.59 · Cuc · 11H₂O ( 2 ), respectively. Crystal structure of 1 and 2 was determined, revealing that the PhSO₂ is coordinated via its sulfur atom (Ni — S 2.182 Å, Pd — S 2.305 Å). The structure of these isostructural compounds is built from triple aggregates {(cluster)(Cuc)(cluster)} united into zigzag chains via hydrogen bonds between coordinated PhSO₂ and H₂O ligands.