The comp
lex [MoC
l(
3-a
lly
l)(CO)
2(dmpm)] (dmpm = bis(dimethy
lphosphino)methane) (
1)reacts with sodium azide and with sodium cyanide to afford the new comp
lexes [Mo(N
3)(
3-a
lly
l)(CO)
2(dmpm)] (
2) and [Mo(CN)(
3-a
lly
l)(CO)
2(dmpm)] (
3), respective
ly, which werecharacterized spectroscopica
lly and by X-ray diffraction. Comp
lex
2 is a
cis-dicarbony
l inwhich one of the P atoms of dmpm is approximate
ly
trans to a carbony
l, and the other is
trans to the a
lly
l. In contrast,
3 is a rare
trans-dicarbony
l. A theoretica
l ana
lysis was app
liedto rationa
lize this difference.