Heptacoordinated molybdenum(VI) complexes of phenylenediamine bis(phenolate): a stable molybdenum amidophenoxide radical.

The syntheses, crystallographic structures, magnetic properties, and theoretical studies of two heptacoordinated molybdenum complexes with N,N'-bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxyphenyl)-1,2-phenylenediamine (H4N2O2) are reported. A formally molybdenum(VI) complex [Mo(N2O2)Cl2(dmf)] (1) was synthesized by the reaction between [MoO2Cl2(dmf)2] and H4N2O2, whereas the other molybdenum(VI) complex [Mo(N2O2)(HN2O2)] (2) was formed when [MoO2(acac)2] was used as a molybdenum source. Both complexes represent a rare case of the Mo(VI) ion without any multiply bonded terminal ligands. In addition, molecular structures, magnetic measurements, ESR spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations indicate that complex 2 is the first stable molybdenum(VI) amidophenoxide radical.