Synthesis, electrochemistry, and spectroscopic properties of six-coordinate monooxomolybdenum(VI) complexes containing tridentate Schiff base and bidentate catecholate ligands. Crystal and molecular structure of (N-salicylidene-2-aminophenolato)(naphthalene-2,3-diolato)oxomolybdenum(VI)

Six-coordinate monooxomolybdenum(VI) complexes, MoO(cat)(Sap), where Sap/sup 2 -/ = the Schiff base dianion N-salicylidene-2-aminophenolate and cat/sup 2 -/ = catecholate Cat/sup 2 -/, naphthalene-2,3-diolate (Naphcat/sup 2 -/), or 3,5-di-tert-butylcatecholate (DTBcat/sup 2 -/), are prepared by reacting the Mo(VI) dimer. (MoO/sub 2/(Sap))/sub 2/, with the appropriate catechol. The products are characterized by cyclic voltammetry, mass spectrometry, and uv/vis, ir, and /sup 95/Mo NMR spectroscopy. The MoO(cat)(Sap) complexes represent the first examples of a mononuclear MoO/sup 4 +/ center with a coordination number of six. The crystal structure of the MoO-(Naphcat)(Sap) derivative is reported, confirming the six-coordinate, distorted octahedrla environment about Mo(VI). Bond angles in the coordination group deviate from the ideal value of 90/degrees/ as a consequence of the ligand bite constraints and because all four O-Mo-O angles involving the terminal oxo ligand are larger than the ideal 90/degrees/ value. MoO(cat)(Sap) complexes undergo reversible one-electronic reduction at -0.5 to -0.7 V versus Fc /sup +/0/ followed by irreversible one-electron reduction at -1.6 to -1.9 V. Reversible MoO/sup 4 +//MoO/sup 3 +/ electrochemistry is attributed to the fact that the Mo d/sub xy/orbital of MoO(cat)(Sap) can be singly occupied upon reduction to Mo(V) without unfavorable interaction with the four bonds in itsmore » equatorial plane. This contrasts with the irreversible electrochemical behavior of seven-coordinate MoO/sup 4 +/ complexes, which contain five such bonds. The /sup 95/Mo NMR chemical shift of MoO(Naphcat)(Sap) is +385 ppM versus external molybdate; this value is highly deshielded with respect to seven-coordinate MoO/sup 4 +/ and six-coordinate MoO/sub 2//sup 2 +/ complexes with O and N donors. 35 references, 4 figures, 5 tables.« less