The first iodide cluster of molybdenum with the metal cage in the form of a
tetragonal pyramid
(Bu4N)[Mo5OI13]·THF
(I) and cocrystallizate
(Bu4N){[Mo5OI13]0.9[Mo6I14]·THF
(II) are synthesized for the first time by
heating a LiI–I2–Mo mixture in a temperature range of
300–400°С followed by the extraction of the product. Complexes I and II are studied by X-ray
diffraction analysis (CIF files CCDC nos. 2063029 (I) and 2063030 (II)). The molybdenum
atoms in
[Mo5OI13]–
form a square pyramid with Mo–Mo distances of 2.67 Å between the basal molybdenum
atoms and the Mo–Mo distances equal to 2.72 Å between the apical and basal molybdenum
atoms. The oxygen atom is coordinated to the pyramid base
(Mo–μ4-O 2.10 Å). The cluster anion
[Mo5OI13]–
can be presented as the octahedral cluster anion
[Mo6I14]2–
in which the position of the {MoI}– fragment (d0, 6e) is occupied by the
isoelectronic oxygen atom (s2p4, 6e). In the structure of compound
II, the
[Mo5OI13]–
and
[Mo6I14]2–
cluster anions occupy close atomic positions.