The reaction of CpMoH(CO)
2L withAuPPh
3+BF
4- inTHF at -40
C proceeds directly to the MoAu
2clustercompounds[CpMo(CO)
2L(AuPPh
3)
2]
+BF
4-(L = PMe
3 (
1), PPh
3(
2)) with release of protons. A 1:1reactionleaves 50% of the starting hydride unreacted. At lowertemperature, however, the formation of a[CpMo(CO)
2(PMe
3)(
-H)(AuPPh
3)]
+intermediate is observed. This compound evolves to the cation of
1 and CpMoH(CO)
2(PMe
3) upon warming and is deprotonated by 2,6-lutidine toaffordCpMo(CO)
2(PMe
3)(AuPPh
3).The X-raystructure of
1 can be described as a four-legged piano stoolwith the PMe
3 and the"
2-(AuPPh
3)
2" ligandsoccupyingrelative trans positions.[Cp(CO)
2(PMe
3)Mo(AuPPh
3)
2]
+[BF
4]
-(
Mr = 1298.41): monoclinic, space group
P2
1/
n,
a = 18.1457(13) Å,
b =9.7811(7) Å,
c = 26.096(2) Å,
=105.086(5)
,
V = 4472.0(5) Å
3,
Z = 4. Thereaction of CpMoH(CO)
2(PMe
3) with 3equiv of AuPPh
3+ affords a MoAu
3cluster,[CpMo(CO)
2(PMe
3)(AuPPh
3)
3]
2+ (
3), ingood yields under kinetically controlled conditions. Underthermodynamically controlledconditions,
3 dissociates extensively into
1 andfree AuPPh
3+. It is proposed that thehydride ligand helps buildhigher nuclearity Mo-Au clusters. The difference in reactionpathways for the interaction of AuPPh
3+withCpMoH(CO)
2L when L = PR
3 or CO and forthe interaction of CpMoH(CO)
2(PMe
3)with E
+ when E = H, Ph
3Cor AuPPh
3 is discussed. The lower acidity and greateraurophilicity of the[CpMo(CO)
2L(
-H)(AuPPh
3)]
+intermediate when L = PMe
3 favor attack byAuPPh
3+ before deprotonation.