A molecular loop with interstitial channels in a chiral environment: exploration of the chemistry of Mo24+ species with chiral and nonchiral dicarboxylate anions

An enantiomericaly pure chiral loop containing two cis-Mo2(DAniF)22+(DAniF = di-p-anisylformamidinate) units was obtained by reaction of cis-[Mo2(DAniF)2(NCMe)4](BF4)2 with a chiral dicarboxylate which is easily prepared from hydroquinone and ethyl (S)-lactate. The compound crystallizes in the non-centrosymmetric I222 space group with molecules stacking so as to form channels capable of hosting guest molecules such as CH2Cl2. These properties of the compound, which has been synthesized in high yield, makes it promising for applications in stereoselective catalysis. Similar reactions with isomeric dicarboxylate linkers, as well as with some non-chiral ligands, were studied. The nature of the products depends on the bite angle of the ligand.