The thermochemistry of carbonyl complexes of Cr,Mo and W with pyridine and acetonitrile

Microcalorimetric measurements at elevated temperatures of the heats of thermal decomposition and of iodination of a number of [M(CO)_nL_6-n] complexes (M = Cr, Mo, W; n = 3, 4; L = py, MeCN) have led to values for the standard enthalpies of formation of the following crystalline compounds (values given in kJ mol^?) at 25°C: fac-[Mo(CO)₃py₃](275 ± 12), fac-[Mo(CO)₃(NCCH₃)₃]  (410 ± 12), fac-[W(CO)₃py₃](250 ± 12), fac-[W(CO)₃(NCCH₃)₃](405 ± 12) and cis-[Cr(CO)₄py₂](505 ± 20). From these and other data, including estimated heats of sublimation, the bond enthalpy contributions of the various metalligand bonds in the gaseous metal complexes were evaluated as follows (values in kJ mol^?): D(Crpy) 102, D(Mopy) 146, DWPy) 173, D(Mo7z.sbnd;NCMe) 135 and D(WNCMe) 169. For a given metal the bond enthalpy contribution decreased in the order D(MCO) > D(Mpy) > D(Mz.sbnd;NCMe). This order is related to the σ- and π-bonding character of the ligand.