A novel Mo–Sn chlorocarbonyl compound. X-ray crystal structure of [(CO)4Mo(μ-Cl)3Mo(SnCl3)(CO)3] and [MoCl(SnCl3)(CO)3(NCEt)2]

The new heterobimetallic complex [(CO)4Mo(μ-Cl)3Mo(SnCl3)(CO)3] (1) has been prepared by photochemical reaction of Mo(CO)6 with SnCl4. The structure of complex 1 was established by X-ray crystallography. The basic structural units of 1 are two seven-coordinate molybdenum atoms, which are linked by three chlorine atoms occupying a bridging position between the molybdenum atoms. The mononuclear seven-coordinate complex [MoCl(SnCl3)(CO)3(NCMe)2] (2) is formed by reaction of [(CO)4Mo(μ-Cl)3Mo(SnCl3)(CO)3] with acetonitrile. Treatment of compound 2 with propionitrile affords [MoCl(SnCl3)(CO)3(NCEt)2] (3). A single-crystal X-ray diffraction study of the complex [MoCl(SnCl3)(CO)3(NCEt)2] (3) showed that the environment of the molybdenum atom is a distorted capped octahedron with the SnCl3 anionic ligand occupying the unique capping position above an octahedral face defined by the bridging chlorine and two carbonyl groups.