Use of trimethylamine N-oxide in the controlled air-oxidation of metal carbonyl complexes; synthesis and crystal structure of a novel organometallic oxo complex of dimolybdenum

Abstract

The air oxidation of [Mo₂(CO)₄(µ-RCCR′)(η⁵-C₅H₅)₂] in the presence of trimethylamine N-oxide affords the novel organometallic complexes [Mo₂(CO)₄)(µ-RCCR′)(η⁵-C₅H₅)₂](R = R′= CO₂Me or Ph; R = CO₂Me, R′= H; R = Ph, R′= H) which are characterised spectroscopically; the structure of [Mo₂O₂(µ-O)(µ-MeO₂C–C₂-CO₂Me)(η⁵-C₅H₅)₂]1 is determined by X-ray crystallography.