Quasi-One-Step Six-Electron Electrochemical Reduction of an Octahedral Hexanuclear Molybdenum(II) Cluster.

We report for the first time quasi-one-step six-electron electrochemical reduction of a new hexanuclear molybdenum(II) bromide cluster having terminal 3,5-dinitrobenzoate ligands: [Mo6Br8(DNBA)6]2-. The electrochemical responses of the cluster were studied based on cyclic (CV), differential pulse, and normal pulse voltammetries, together with the analytical simulations of the CV and spectroelectrochemistry. CV simulations have revealed that the electrochemical reaction of the cluster proceeds in an EEEEEE scheme, and the potential differences between the two adjacent reduction steps are in the range of 15-30 mV. These potential differences indicate quite smooth and quasi-one-step six-electron reduction of the cluster.