Reactions of
(1) with alkyl disulfides RSSR (R = Me, Et, Pr, Bun) in
refluxing dichloromethane yielded the series of new mixed-metal and mixed-ligand bridged compounds
(R = Me (4a), Et (4b), Pr (4c), Bun (4d)),
(R = Me (5a), Et (5b), Pr (5c), Bun (5d)), and
(R = Me (6a), Et (6b), Pr (6c), Bun (6d)). All except 6c were characterized by single-crystal
X-ray diffraction analysis. Formation of compounds 4−6 indicates a general procedure for cleavage of
the S−S bonds of alkyl disulfides under mild conditions. Molecular structures of compounds 6a,b,d
reveal the first transformation of the bridging PPh2 ligand of 1 to give the hybrid ligands Ph2PSR (R =
Me, Et, Bun) via P−S bond formation. The average Mo−W bond distance (2.8255 Å) in the 34e dimers
(4a−d, 6a,b,d) is shorter than that in the 32e dimers (5a−d), 2.8494 Å. This appears quite unusual,
according to the 18e rule. DFT calculations have been performed to investigate this unusual observation.
Characterization of the substitution products
(7) and
(8; COD = cyclooctadiene) leads to the conclusion that carbonyl
ligands on the Mo sites are more labile than those on the W sites.