Coordination complexes of molybdenum with 3,6-di-tert-butylcatechol. Addition products of DMSO, pyridine N-oxide, and triphenylarsine oxide to the putative [MoVIO(3,6-DBCat)2] monomer and self-assembly of the chiral [(MoVIO(3,6-DBCat)2)4] square.

Molybdenum complexes of 3,6-di-tert-butylcatechol have been prepared from the reaction between [Mo(CO)(6)] and 3,6-di-tert-butyl-1,2-benzoquinone. A putative "[MoO(3,6-DBCat)(2)]" monomer is assumed to form initially by reaction with trace quantities of oxygen. Condensation of the reaction mixture leads to the formation of oligomeric products, including the [(MoO(3,6-DBCat)(2))(4)] chiral square isolated by chromatographic separation. Molybdenum centers at the corner of the square are bridged by oxo ligands centered along edges. Four-fold and inversion crystallographic symmetry gives tetramers as either LambdaLambdaLambdaLambda or DeltaDeltaDeltaDelta isomers, and the crystal structure consists of parallel columns of squares with the same chirality. Addition of O-Subst (O-Subst = dmso, pyridine N-oxide, triphenylarsine oxide) ligands to [MoO(3,6-DBCat)(2)] occurs selectively to give cis-[MoO(O-Subst)(3,6-DBCat)(2)] products. All three addition complexes are fluxional in solution. The temperature-dependent stereodymanic behavior of [MoO(dmso)(3,6-DBCat)(2)] has been shown to occur via a trigonal prismatic intermediate (Bailar twist) that conserves the cis disposition of oxo and dmso ligands. Electrochemical and chemical reduction reactions have been investigated for [MoO(dmso)(3,6-DBCat)(2)] with interest in displacement of SMe(2) with formation of cis-[MoO(2)(3,6-DBCat)(2)](2-). Cyclic voltammetry shows an irreversible two-electron reduction for the complex at -0.852 V (vs Fc/Fc(+)). Chemical reduction using CoCp(2) was observed to give a product with an electronic spectrum that is generally associated with cis-[MoO(2)(Cat)(2)](2-) complexes. Structural characterization revealed that the product was [CoCp(2)][MoO(3,6-DBCat)(2)], possibly formed as the product of dmso displacement upon one-electron reduction of [MoO(dmso)(3,6-DBCat)(2)].