Synthesis, characterization, and reactivity of sulfided hexanuclear molybdenum cluster compounds

Hexanuclear molybdenum clusters with mixed chloride and sulfide bridging ligands were prepared by reacting {alpha}-MoCl{sub 2} with sodium hydrosulfide in the presence of sodium butoxide. The resulting species, Mo{sub 6}Cl{sub (8-x)}S{sub x}{center dot}npy(x {congruent} 3.6, n {congruent} 4, py = pyridine), was pyrophoric and insoluble. The mixed sulfide chloride cluster species Mo{sub 6}S{sub 4}Cl{sub 4}{center dot}6OPEt{sub 3} and Mo{sub 6}S{sub {approximately}5}Cl{sub {approximately}3}{center dot}6PEt{sub 3} and Mo{sub 6}S{sub 8}{center dot}6PEt{sub 3} were isolated and characterized. Phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance, electron paramagnetic resonance, and UV/visible spectra were obtained for each fraction. The completely sulfided cluster, Mo{sub 6}S{sub 8}{center dot}6PEt{sub 3}, was prepared similarly and used in various experiments as a possible precursor to Chevrel phase materials of the type Mo{sub 6}S{sub 8}or M{sub n}Mo{sub 6}S{sub 8}. With the goal of removing all of the triethylphosphine ligands, Mo{sub 6}S{sub 8}{center dot}6PEt{sub 3} was reacted with the transition metal carbonyls molybdenum hexacarbonyl and dicobalt octacarbonyl. Reaction on the molecular sulfide cluster with copper(I) chloride in toluene gave a completely insoluble product. The reaction of Mo{sub 6}S{sub 8}{center dot}6PEt{sub 3} with propylene sulfide gave a product whose infrared spectra showed only very weak peaks associated with coordinated triethylphosphine. The elemental analysis of this product fitmore » the formula Mo{sub 6}S{sub 8}{center dot}5SPEt{sub 3}. Reactivity of the outer ligands of the Mo{sub 6}S{sub 8}{center dot}npy and Mo{sub 6}S{sub 8}{center dot}(6{minus}x)PrNH{sub x} clusters were investigated. Crystalline Mo{sub 6}S{sub 8}{center dot}6THT was recovered from the reaction of the n-propylamine derivative with THT. A crystal structure determination was done. 87 refs., 12 fig., 15 tabs.« less