Synthesis and structure of methoxo-terminated molybdenum and tungsten M3S4 clusters containing aminophosphine ligands

Abstract

Trinuclear [M3S4(OCH3)3](edpp)3] + complexes, 1+ (M = Mo) and 2+ (M = W) bearing (2-aminoethyl) diphenylphosphine (edpp), have been isolated and fully characterized. Molybdenum and tungsten halide precursors react with methanol in the presence of Et3N, to yield the respective methoxo-terminated clusters. The crystal structures of complexes 1+ and 2+ confirm that methoxo ligands are coordinated to the metal centers. Gas-phase dissociation of the novel methoxo cluster cations using ESI tandem mass spectrometry reveals the sequential elimination of three neutral methanol molecules under collision induced dissociation (CID) conditions to form metal/imino M = NH cluster species