Synthesis and characterisation of molybdenum complexes bearing highly functionalised imido substituents

The monofunctionalised anilines 2-(H 2 N)C 6 H 4 X (where X = CO 2 H, SO 3 H, or CN) reacted with sodium molybdate in the presence of NEt 3 and SiMe 3 Cl in refluxing dme (1,2-dimethoxyethane) to give [NEt 3 H][MoCl 3 {2-(HN)C 6 H 4 CO 2 }{2-Me 3 SiO 2 CC 6 H 4 N}] 1, [NEt 3 H] 2 [MoCl 3 {2-NC 6 H 4 SO 3 }{2-(HN)C 6 H 4 SO 3 }] 2 and [MoCl 2 (2-NCC 6 H 4 N) 2 (dme)] 3. Treatment of sodium molybdate with anthranilic acid and 2,6-Pr i 2 C 6 H 3 NH 2 in a 1∶1 ratio afforded [NEt 3 H][MoCl 3 {2-(HN)C 6 H 4 CO 2 }(NC 6 H 3 Pr i 2 -2,6)] 4. Products of reactions of sodium molybdate with the amino acid 2,2-diphenylglycine and 2-aminoterephthalic acid, namely [NEt 3 H][Mo- Cl 3 (NCHPh 2 )(H 2 NCPh 2 CO 2 )] 5 and [NEt 3 H][MoCl 3 {2-HNC 6 H 3 CO 2 (CO 2 H)-1,4}{2-NC 6 H 3 (CO 2 H) 2 -1,4}] 6 respectively are also reported. Complexes 1 to 6 have been structurally characterised; all contain pseudo-octahedral geometries about the metal centre, and all except 3 are salts in which the anion contains a mer arrangement of chloride ligands.