
Organomolybdenum chemistry is the chemistry of chemical compounds with Mo-C bonds. The heavier
group 6 elements
Group 6, numbered by IUPAC style, is a group of elements in the periodic table. Its members are chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), and seaborgium (Sg). These are all transition metals and chromium, molybdenum and tungsten are refrac ...
molybdenum
Molybdenum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Mo (from Neo-Latin ''molybdaenum'') and atomic number 42. The name derived from Ancient Greek ', meaning lead, since its ores were confused with lead ores. Molybdenum minerals hav ...
and
tungsten
Tungsten (also called wolfram) is a chemical element; it has symbol W and atomic number 74. It is a metal found naturally on Earth almost exclusively in compounds with other elements. It was identified as a distinct element in 1781 and first ...
form organometallic compounds similar to those in
organochromium chemistry Organochromium chemistry is a branch of organometallic chemistry that deals with organic compounds containing a chromium to carbon bond and their reactions. The field is of some relevance to organic synthesis. The relevant oxidation states for organ ...
but higher oxidation states tend to be more common.
Mo(0) and more reduced states
Molybdenum hexacarbonyl
Molybdenum hexacarbonyl (also called molybdenum carbonyl) is the chemical compound with the formula Mo(CO)6. This colorless solid, like its chromium, tungsten, and seaborgium analogues, is noteworthy as a volatile, air-stable derivative of a metal ...
is the precursor to many substituted derivatives. It reacts with organolithium reagents to give anionic acyls which can be O-alkylated to give
Fischer carbene
A Fischer carbene is a type of transition metal carbene complex, which is an organometallic compound containing a divalent organic ligand. In a Fischer carbene, the carbene ligand is a σ-donor π-acceptor ligand. Because π-backdonation from the ...
s.
144px, Structure of (Mesitylene)molybdenum tricarbonyl, (mesitylene)molybdenum tricarbonyl.
Mo(CO)
6 reacts with arenes to give piano-stool complexes such as
(Mesitylene)molybdenum tricarbonyl, (mesitylene)molybdenum tricarbonyl.
Cycloheptatrienemolybdenum tricarbonyl, which is related to (arene)Mo(CO)
3, reacts with
trityl
Triphenylmethane or triphenyl methane (sometimes also known as Tritan), is the hydrocarbon with the chemical formula, formula (C6H5)3CH. This colorless solid is soluble in nonpolar organic solvents and not in water. Triphenylmethane is the basic sk ...
salts to give the
cycloheptatrienyl complex:
:(C
7H
8)Mo(CO)
3 + (C
6H
5)
3C
+ →
7H7)Mo(CO)3">C7H7)Mo(CO)3sup>+ + (C
6H
5)
3CH
file:CHTMo(CO)3.png, 144px, Structure of
Cycloheptatrienemolybdenum tricarbonyl.
Reduction of Mo(CO)
6 gives [Mo(CO)
5]
2− which is formally Mo(-II).
CO-free Mo(0) compounds tend to be more reducing and kinetically labile than the carbonyl complexes.
Examples include bis(benzene)molybdenum (Mo(C
6H
6)
2) and tris(butadiene)molybdenum. Such compounds can be prepared by
metal vapor synthesis
In chemistry, metal vapor synthesis (MVS) is a method for preparing metal complexes by combining freshly produced metal atoms or small particles with ligands. In contrast to the high reactivity of such freshly produced metal atoms, bulk metals typ ...
and reductive routes from
molybdenum(V) chloride
Molybdenum(V) chloride is the inorganic compound with the empirical formula . This dark volatile solid is used in research to prepare other molybdenum compounds. It is moisture-sensitive and soluble in chlorinated solvents.
Structure
Usually cal ...
.
Mo(II)
Halogenation of Mo(CO)
6 gives Mo(II) carbonyl halides, which are also versatile precursors. One large collection of compounds have the formula (C
5R
5)Mo(CO)
3X, derived from
cyclopentadienylmolybdenum tricarbonyl dimer
Cyclopentadienylmolybdenum tricarbonyl dimer is the chemical compound with the formula Cp2Mo2(CO)6, where Cp is C5H5. A dark red solid, it has been the subject of much research although it has no known practical uses.
Structure and synthesis
The ...
(X = halide, hydride, alkyl).
Treating
molybdenum(II) acetate with methyllithium gives Li
4 2(CH3)8">o2(CH3)8
Mo(IV)
With the formula of the type Cp
2MoX
2 molybdocene dichloride
Molybdocene dichloride is the organomolybdenum compound with the formula ( η5-C5H5)2MoCl2 and IUPAC
The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC ) is an international federation of National Adhering Organizations working for ...
(X = Cl) and
molybdocene dihydride
Molybdocene dihydride is the organomolybdenum compound with the formula ( η5-C5H5)2MoH2. Commonly abbreviated as Cp2MoH2, it is a yellow air-sensitive solid that dissolves in some organic solvents.
The compound is prepared by combining molybd ...
(X = H) are both known as are
ansa metallocene
An ''ansa''-metallocene is a type of organometallic compound containing two cyclopentadienyl ligands that are linked by a bridging group such that both cyclopentadienyl groups are bound to the same metal. The link prevents rotation of the cyclope ...
analogues.
124px, .">Molybdocene dihydride.
Mo(V) and Mo(VI)
Mo(CH
3)
5, Mo(CH
3)
6, and salts of
3)7">o(CH3)7sup>− are known.
[
Oxo and ]imide
In organic chemistry, an imide is a functional group consisting of two acyl groups bound to nitrogen. The compounds are structurally related to acid anhydrides, although imides are more resistant to hydrolysis. In terms of commercial applications ...
(RN=) ligands are found in several high oxidation state organomolybdenum compounds. The complexes (C5R5)MoO2X are illustrative. Schrock's Mo-based olefin metathesis
In organic chemistry, Olefin Metathesis or Alkene Metathesis is an organic reaction that entails the redistribution of fragments of alkenes (olefins) by the Bond cleavage, scission and regeneration of carbon-carbon double bonds. Because of the ...
catalysts feature molybdenum(VI) centers supported by alkoxide
In chemistry, an alkoxide is the conjugate base of an alcohol and therefore consists of an organic group bonded to a negatively charged oxygen atom. They are written as , where R is the organyl substituent. Alkoxides are strong bases and, whe ...
, alkylidene
Methylene (IUPAC name: methylidene, also called carbene or methene) is an organic compound with the chemical formula (also written and not to be confused with compressed hydrogen, which is also denoted ). It is a colourless gas that fluoresces ...
, and imido ligands.[
Molybdenum neopentylidyne complexes endowed with sterically demanding phenolates or branched fluorinated alkoxides catalyze alkyne metathesis. However, preparation of these catalysts is problematic by the standard Schrock procedure. The trisalkoxide species 17 is active at room temperature.
Treating these Mo(III) complexes with dichloromethane gives methylidyne complex and a monochloride. The alkylidene complex tolerates basic amines and ]sulfide
Sulfide (also sulphide in British English) is an inorganic anion of sulfur with the chemical formula S2− or a compound containing one or more S2− ions. Solutions of sulfide salts are corrosive. ''Sulfide'' also refers to large families o ...
s, which deactivate the more Lewis acidic complex such as Schrock complex. Higher gem-dichlorides RCHCl2 give longer-lived catalyst. To reconvert the chloride byproduct, they added magnesium
Magnesium is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 ...
in reaction. The ''p''-nitrophenolate is a very active catalyst. On the other hand, alcoholysis of 21 with a tridentate ligand
A tridentate ligand (or terdentate ligand) is a ligand that has three atoms that can function as donor atoms in a coordination complex.
Well-known tridentate ligands include diethylenetriamine with three nitrogen donor atoms, and the iminodiaceti ...
leading to still longer lifetime and better substrate scope.
Molybdenum nitride
In chemistry, a nitride is a chemical compound of nitrogen. Nitrides can be inorganic or organic, ionic or covalent. The nitride anion, N3−, is very elusive but compounds of nitride are numerous, although rarely naturally occurring. Some nitr ...
complexes with siloxide
Siloxides are chemical compounds with the formula R3SiOM, where R is usually an organic group and M is usually a metal cation. Also called silanolates, they are derived by deprotonation of Silanol, silanols. They also arise by the degradation of ...
ligands are precatalysts for alkyne metathesis.
Potential applications
Mo-based catalysts are active for olefin metathesis
In organic chemistry, Olefin Metathesis or Alkene Metathesis is an organic reaction that entails the redistribution of fragments of alkenes (olefins) by the Bond cleavage, scission and regeneration of carbon-carbon double bonds. Because of the ...
.
Trisamidomolybdenum(VI) alkylidyne complexes catalyze alkyne metathesis.
In the Kauffmann olefination The Kauffmann olefination is a chemical reaction to convert aldehydes and ketones to olefins with a terminal methylene group. This reaction was discovered by the German chemist Thomas Kauffmann and is related to the better known Tebbe olefination or ...
, molybdenum(III) chloride
Molybdenum(III) chloride is the inorganic compound with the formula MoCl3. It forms purple crystals.
Synthesis and structure
Molybdenum(III) chloride is synthesized by the reduction of molybdenum(V) chloride with hydrogen. A higher yield is pro ...
and methyllithium
Methyllithium is the simplest organolithium reagent, with the empirical formula LiCH3. This s-block organometallic compound adopts an oligomeric structure both in solution and in the solid state. This highly reactive compound, invariably used i ...
form an organometallic complex capable of carbonyl olefination.
References
{{ChemicalBondsToCarbon
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