A square planar cobalt(III) tetrathiolate complex

Complexes with metal-sulfur coordination centers have significance synthetic analogues for the active sites of metal sulfide heterogeneous catalysts. The synthesis and structure of a cobalt(III) tetrathiolate complex, (Ph/sub 4/P)(Co(S-2,4,6-i-Pr/sub 3/C/sub 6/H)/sub 4/), are reported. This red crystalline complex is the first reported example of a homoleptic Co(III) thiolate complex and a rare example of a square-planar Co(II) complex. The coordinatively unsaturated Co/sup II/S/sub 4/ center in the complex is a possible structural model for cobalt in the CoMoS hydrodesulfurization catalyst. 20 references, 1 figure.