Synthesis and characterisation of second-generation metallodithiolene complexes of the type [Tp*ME(dithiolene)](M=Mo, W; E=O, S) and a novel 'organoscorpionate' complex of tungsten.

Paramagnetic, chalcogenido-M(v) dithiolene complexes, [Tp*ME{S2C2(CO2Me)2}][M=Mo, E=O, S; M=W, E=O, S; Tp*=hydrotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)borate] are generated in the reactions of dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAC) and the sulfur-rich complexes NEt4[Tp*MoS(S4)] and NEt4[Tp*WS3]; the oxo complexes result from hydrolysis of the initial sulfido products. As well, a novel 'organoscorpionate' complex, [W{S2C2(CO2Me)2}{SC2(CO2Me)2-Tp*}], has been isolated from the reactions of NEt4[Tp*WS3] with excess DMAC. Complexes , and have been isolated and characterised by microanalytical, mass spectrometric, spectroscopic and (for and) X-ray crystallographic techniques. Complexes and have been partially characterised by mass spectrometry and IR and EPR spectroscopy. Six-coordinate, distorted-octahedral contains a terminal sulfido ligand (W=S=2.108(3)A), a bidentate dithiolene ligand (S-Cav=1.758 A, C=C=1.332(10)A) and a fac-tridentate Tp* ligand. Seven-coordinate contains a planar, bidentate dithiolene ligand (S-Cav=1.746 A, C=C=1.359(5)A) and a novel pentadentate 'organoscorpionate' ligand formed by the melding of DMAC, sulfido and trispyrazolylborate units. The latter is coordinated through two pyrazolyl N atoms (kappa2-N,N') and a tridentate kappa3-S,C,C' unit appended to N-beta of the third (uncoordinated) pyrazolyl group. The second-generation [Tp*ME(dithiolene)] complexes represent a refinement on first-generation [Tp*ME(arene-1,2-dithiolate)] complexes and their synthesis affords an opportunity to compare and contrast the electronic structures of true vs. pseudo-dithiolene ligands in otherwise analogous complexes.