Molybdenum η2-imine complex formation and the reductive coupling of iminesElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: spectroscopic data for 1, 2a, 2b, 3a and 3b. See http://www.rsc.org/suppdata/cc/b0/b000355g/

Abstract

Addition of imine PhNC(Ar)R (Ar = Ph, R = Me; p-MeOC₆H₄, R = H) to (PhN)Mo(TMS-o-pda)(CH₂CMe₂) 1 [TMS-o-pda = bis(trimethylsilyl)-o-phenylenediamide] affords the corresponding η²-imine complexes (PhN)Mo(TMS-o-pda)[PhNC(Ar)R] 2a and 2b; analogous reactions with aldimines RNC(H)Ar (Ar = p-MeOC₆H₄, R = CH₂Ph, Et) afford products (PhN)Mo(TMS-o-pda)[RNC(H)ArC(H)ArNR] 3a and 3b resulting from reductive imine coupling, providing the first example of facile and general Mo(IV) η²-imine complex formation.