Preparation and X-ray crystal structure of [(OC)3Mo{P2[MeNC(O)NMe]2}3Mo(CO)3]

Two new complexes [(OC)3Mo(µ-L)3Mo(CO)3](1) and [Mo(CO)3L3](2) have been isolated from the reaction of [Mo(CO)3(C7H8)](C7H8= cycloheptatriene) with the diphosphine ligand P2[MeNC(O)NMe]2(L). Crystals of (1) are tetragonal with a=b= 2 271.9(2), c= 3 212.1(4) pm, Z= 16, and space group I41/acd. The structure has been refined to R= 0.038 for 2 309 unique observed diffractomer data. The molecule possesses approximate 32 (D3) symmetry, with a crystallographic two-fold axis perpendicular to the Mo ⋯ Mo vector. Mean Mo–P and P–P bond lengths are 246.2(2) and 221.7(2) pm.