Crystal structure of tetraethylammonium bis(tetracarbonylmolybdenum)-tetrathiotungstate, [EtN][(OC)MoSWSMo(CO)] and synthesis, infrared spectra, 95 Mo NMR spectra and cyclic voltammetry of new linear trinuclear Mo(W)–S carbonyl clusters containing mixed-valence metal atoms [(OC)MSM′SM(CO)]− (M, M′=Mo or W)

Four trinuclear molybdenum(tungsten)-sulfur carbonyl cluster compounds, Et₄N]₂(OC)₄Mo-S₂MoS₂Mo(CO)₄] (1), Et₄N]₂(OC)₄WS₂WS₂W(CO)₄] (2), Et₄N]₂(OC)₄MoS₂WS₂Mo(CO)₄] (3), Et₄N]₂(OC)₄WS₂MoS₂W(CO)₄] (4) have been prepared by both reaction of M(CO)₄(S₂CNEt₂)]⁻ with M′S₄²− in MeOH and reaction of MeCN solution of M(CO)₆ with M′S₄²− in MeOH (M=Mo, W; M′=Mo, W). These complexes has been characterized by routine elemental analysis and spectroscopy and the structures of 1 and 3 have been determined by X-ray crystallography. The structure study reveals that the anion of 3 contains a heteronuclear Mo–W–S trimetallic core, MoS₂WS₂Mo]²−, consisting of two perpendicular rhombic MoS₂W units sharing a tungsten atom. The Mo–W bond distances are 3.028(2) and 3.031(2) Å and the Mo–W–Mo angle is 176.04(5)°. The average bond lengths of W–S and Mo–S are 2.21 and 2.54 Å, respectively. The X-ray, structure, IR, CV (cyclic voltammetry) and 95 Mo NMR studies on these four cluster complexes indicated that these cluster complexes possess wide separated oxidation states of metal atoms and exhibit the charge transfer, M^L→M^HS₄ (M^L represents a low-valance metal atom and M^H a high valence metal atom), between the two different valence metallic centers in the cluster complexes. It has been found that the charge transfer, M^L→M^HS₄, in the complexes are: 1>4, 3>2, 1>3, 4>2, 1>2 and 34 implying the electron-donation ability of low-valence metal atoms in the complexes is Mo⁰>W⁰ and the electron-accepted ability of the high valence metal atoms in the complexes is Mo^VI>W^VI.