Synthesis and X-ray crystal structures of two trinuclear molybdenum clusters coordinated by p-nitrobenzoate: Mo3S4(dtp)3(p-NO2C6H 4COO)(L)

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0277-5387(01)00862-2

Two new trinuclear molybdenum clusters Mo₃S₄(dtp)₃(p-NO₂C₆H ₄COO)(L) (dtp = diethyldithiophosphate, L = Py and DMF) have been synthesized by the ligand substitution reaction with p-nitrobenzoic acid using the precursors Mo₃S₄(dtp)₄(H₂O) and Mo₃S₄(dtp)₃(CCl₃COO)(Py), respectively. Their structures have been determined by X-ray diffraction analysis and confirmed by ³¹P NMR spectra. Both compounds contain [Mo₃S₄] cores in which three Mo atoms form an isosceles triangle and each Mo atom is octahedrally coordinated. High asymmetry of coordination on the different Mo atoms is observed. The ligand replacement of -dtp by the aromatic acid makes the whole molecule more stable in a dipolar solvent. The coordination difference between Py and DMF also affects the core structure, resulting in the corresponding Mo-Mo distances being different in these two similar cluster compounds.