Synthesis and X-ray crystal structure of tetra(2- methylphenyl)molybdenum(IV), Mo(2-MeC6H4)4. Redox chemistry of M(2-MeC6H4)4 compounds of molybdenum, rhenium, ruthenium, and osmium

Abstract

The reaction of MoCl₄(thf)₂(thf = tetrahydrofuran) with 4 equivalents of o-tolyl-lithium in diethyl ether yields Mo(2-MeC₆H₄)₄ as air-sensitive purple crystals, characterized by X-ray crystallography. The redox chemistry of M (2- MeC₆H₄)₄(M = MO, Re, Ru, or OS) has been studied by cyclic voltammetry and chemical methods. One-electron oxidation of the ruthenium and osmium derivatives gives tetra-aryl cations [M(2- MeC₆H₄)₄]⁺; the osmium complex crystallizes from dichloromethane–diethyl ether as BF₄^– or CF₃SO₃^– salts which have been fully characterized.