Synthesis and photochemical behavior of μ-p-xylene-α,α'-diyldimolybdenum(II) complex

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0022-328X(00)99801-2

Reaction of Na (cp = η⁵-cyclopentadienyl) with α,α'-dibromo-p-xylene afforded <2(μ-CH2C6H4CH2-p)> which reacts with PMe2Ph to give a mono-acyl, and then finally a bis-acyl complex.Photolysis of the μ-p-xylene-α,α'-diyl complex induces homolytic cleavage of the Mo-C bond to produce radical intermediates, which are converted, via p-quinodimethane, to p-xylene and its polymers.