Synthesis, reactivity, and electrochemistry of some new nitrides of molybdenum and tungsten: crystal structure of trinuclear [{µ-MoN(N3)2}{NMo(N3)(Et2PCH2CH2PEt2)2}2]

Abstract

The reaction between trimethylsilyl azide and trans-[Mo(N₂)₂(depe)₂](depe = Et₂PCH₂CH₂PEt₂) gives the mononuclear nitride trans-[MoN(N₃)(depe)₂] and also the unexpected linear trinuclear complex [{µ-MoN(N₃)₂}{NMo(N₃)(depe)₂}₂], the structure of which was determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis; this, with e.p.r. and electrochemical data, suggests that the trinuclear species is best described as having a localised Mo^IV,Mo^V,Mo^IV system; protonation and methylation reactions of either the mono- or tri-nuclear nitrides allow the preparation of mononuclear imide derivatives.