Reversible insertion of an isocyanate into an imido moiety at a dimolybdenum centre. Synthesis and X-ray crystal structure of [Mo2(NPh)2(S2CNEt2)2(µ-NPh){µ-PhNC(O)NPh}]

Abstract

Thermolysis of [{MoO(S₂CNEt₂)(µ-NPh)}₂] in the presence of an excess of phenyl isocyanate affords the ureato complex [Mo₂(NPh)₂(S₂CNEt₂)₂(µ-NPh){µ-PhNC(O)NPh}]1 as a result of oxo substitution, and insertion of an isocyanate into one of the bridging imido functionalities; heating 1 in toluene results in release of phenyl isocyanate to give the tetraimido complexe [{Mo(NPh)(S₂CNEt₂)(µ-NPh)}₂]2, a process which is reversible.