Syntheses and structures of Tetranuclear Cluster complexes of molybdenum [Mo4(?3-S)2(?2-S)4 X 2-(PMe3)6] (X = SH, Cl, Br, I, SCN) and [Mo4(?3-S)2-(?2-S)4 (dtc)2(PMe3)4] (dtc = diethyldithiocarbamate)

Hydrosulfide complexes of the transition elements: diverse roles in bioinorganic, cluster, coordination, and organometallic chemistry

Molecules containing transition metal hydrosulfide linkages are diverse, spanning a variety of elements, coordination environments, and redox states, and carrying out multiple roles across several fields of chemistry.

Systematic Approach for the Construction of Niobium and Tantalum Sulfide Clusters

Treatment of the imido complexes [MCl3(NR)py2] (R = (t)Bu, 2,6-Me2C6H3; M = Nb 1, 3; Ta 2, 4) (Xyl = 2,6-Me2C6H3) with (Me3Si)2S in a 1:1 ratio afforded the new cube-type sulfide clusters [MCl(NR)py(μ3-S)]4 (R = (t)Bu, 2,6-Me2C6H3; M = Nb 5, 7; Ta 6, 8) with loss of Me3SiCl. Reactions of 5 and 6 with cyclopentadienyllithium in 1:4 ratio resulted in the rupture of the coordinative M-S bonds and the replacement of a pyridine molecule and a chlorine atom by an η(5)-cyclopentadienyl group in each metal center, affording the compounds [M(η(5)-C5H5)(N(t)Bu)(μ-S)]4 (M = Nb 9, Ta 10). These processes may develop through formation of the complexes [M4(η(5)-C5H5)2(μ-Cl)(N(t)Bu)4py2(μ3-S)2(μ-S)2](C5H5) (M = Nb 11, Ta 12), also obtained by reaction of 5 and 6 with cyclopentadienyllithium in 1:3 ratio. As further evidence, 11 and 12 led to complexes 9 and 10 by treatment with one more equivalent of the lithium reagent. The structural study of these metal sulfide clusters has been also performed by X-ray crystallography.

Aggregation of PMe3-stabilized molybdenum sulfides and the catalytic dehydrogenation of H2S

The reactivity of [MoS(4)](2-) (1) toward PMe(3) was explored in the presence and absence of proton donors. Whereas MeCN solutions of (Et(4)N)(2)[MoS(4)] and PMe(3) are stable, in the presence of H(2)S such solutions catalyze formation of H(2) and SPMe(3). Addition of NH(4+) to such solutions afforded MoS(2)(PMe(3))(4) (2), which can be prepared directly from (NH(4))(2)[1]. Compound 2 is reactive toward thiols via a process proposed to involve the initial dissociation of one PMe(3) ligand, a hypothesis supported by the relative inertness of trans-MoS(2)(dmpe)(2). Benzene solutions of 2 react with EtSH to give Mo(2)(mu-S)(mu-SH)(PMe(3))(4)(SEt)(3) (3Et). Analogous reactions with thiocresol (MeC(6)H(4)SH) and H(2)S gave Mo(2)(mu-S)(mu-SH)(PMe(3))(4)(SR)(3) (R = tol, H). Crystallographic analyses of 3Et, 3H, and 3tol indicate dinuclear species with seven terminal ligands and a Mo(2)(mu-SR)(mu-S) core (r(Mo)(-)(Mo) = 2.748(1) A). From reaction mixtures leading to 3Et from 2, we obtained the intermediate Mo(IV)(2)(mu-S)(2)(SEt)(4)(PMe(3))(2) (4), an edge-shared bis(trigonal pyramidal) structure. Compounds 3H and 3Et react further with H(2)S to give Mo(4)(mu(2)-S)(4)(mu(3)-S)(2)(PMe(3))(6)(SH)(2) (5H) and Mo(4)(mu(2)-S)(4)(mu(3)-S)(2)(PMe(3))(6)(SEt)(2) (5Et), respectively. Analogously, W(4)(mu(2)-S)(4)(mu(3)-S)(2)(PMe(3))(6)(SH)(2) was synthesized from a methanol solution of (NH(4))(2)WS(4) with H(2)S and PMe(3). A highly accurate crystallographic analysis of (NH(4))(2)MoS(4) (R(1) = 0.0193) indicates several weak NH.S interactions.