Oxidation of the
compounds [M
2Cp
2(CO)
4(
-L
2)] (M = Mo, W; Cp =
chars/eta.gif" BORDER=0 >
5-C
5H
5; L
2 =Ph
2PCH
2PPh
2 (dppm), Me
2PCH
2PMe
2 (dmpm), (EtO)
2POP(OEt)
2 (tedip)) with [FeCp
2](BAr'
4)(Ar' = 3,5-C
6H
3(CF
3)
2) gives the
corresponding tetra
carbonyl radi
cals [M
2Cp
2(
-CO)
2(CO)
2(
-L
2)](BAr'
4). The stability of these paramagneti
c complexes depends on the ligand and themetal. Thus, the dmpm
complexes are stable in solution for reasonable periods of time,whereas the dppm
complexes experien
ce spontaneous de
carbonylation at room temperatureto give the radi
cals [Mo
2Cp
2(
-CO)
2(
-dppm)](BAr'
4) and [W
2Cp
2(
-CO)(CO)
2(
-dppm)](BAr'
4).The tedip-bridged derivatives are the most unstable radi
cals, with the ditungsten
cationexperien
cing rapid hydrogen atom
capture to give the hydride
complex [W
2Cp
2(
-H)(CO)
4(
-tedip)](BAr'
4). The
complexes [M
2Cp
2(
-CO)
2(CO)
2(
-L
2)](BAr'
4) rea
ct with NO to give thebinu
clear nitrosyl derivatives [M
2Cp
2(CO)
4(NO)(
-L
2)](BAr'
4) (M = Mo, W; L
2 = dmpm,tedip) and [Mo
2Cp
2(
-CO)(CO)
2(NO)(
-dmpm)](BAr'
4). Some mononu
clear produ
cts su
ch as[MCp(CO)
2(OPMe
2CH
2PMe
2)](BAr'
4) were identified in these rea
ction mixtures. The diphosphine-bridged dimolybdenum radi
cals are rea
ctive toward small mole
cules
containing H-Ebonds (with E = N, P, O, S) under mild
conditions. Thus, rea
ction of [Mo
2Cp
2(
-CO)
2(CO)
2(
-dppm)](BAr'
4) with water at room temperature yields the hydroxo
complexes [Mo
2Cp
2(
-OH)(CO)
2(
-dppm)](BAr'
4) and [Mo
2Cp
2(
-H)(
-OH)(CO)
2(
-dppm)](BAr'
4)(OH), while rea
ctions with HSPh give mixtures of
cis-[Mo
2Cp
2(
-SPh)(
-CO)(CO)
2(
-L
2)](BAr'
4),
cis-[Mo
2Cp
2(
-SPh)(CO)
2(
-dppm)](BAr'
4), and
cis-[Mo
2Cp
2(
-H)(
-SPh)(CO)
2(
-dppm)](BAr'
4)(SPh), withtheir relative amounts depending on the diphosphine and experimental
conditions. Thetri
carbonyls
cis-[Mo
2Cp
2(
-SPh)(
-CO)(CO)
2(
-L
2)](BAr'
4) rearrange to the
correspondingtrans isomers upon exposure to UV-visible light, and the dppm derivative even experien
cesa reversible de
carbonylation to give
trans-[Mo
2Cp
2(
-SPh)(CO)
2(
-dppm)](BAr'
4).
cis- and
trans-di
carbonyls [Mo
2Cp
2(
-SPh)(CO)
2(
-dppm)](BAr'
4) are protonated by HBF
4·OEt
2with retention of geometry to yield the
corresponding hydride derivatives
cis- and
trans-[Mo
2Cp
2(
-H)(
-SPh)(CO)
2(
-dppm)](BAr'
4)(BF
4). Deprotonation of the latter with 1,8-diazabi
cy
clo[5.4.0]unde
c-7-ene (DBU) is not reversible, as it gives in both
cases the
cis isomer,whi
ch suggest the operation of a redu
ction/dehydrogenation rea
ction pathway. The stru
cturesof the new
complexes are analyzed on the basis of the
corresponding IR and NMR (
1H,
31P,
13C) data, and the rea
ction pathways operative in the rea
ctions with H
2O and HSPh aredis
cussed on the basis of the available data and some additional experiments.