Synthesis of aryl-substituted triamidoamine ligands and molybdenum(IV) complexes that contain them

Compounds of the type [(ArNHCH2CH2)(3)N] (Ar = phenyl (H-3[1a]) 4-fluorophenyl (H-3[1b]), 4-tert-butylphenyl (H-3[1c]) 3,5-dimethylphenyl (H-3[1d]) 2-methylphenyl (H-3[1e]), and mesityl (H-3[1f])) have been synthesized by the Pd-catalyzed coupling of (H2NCH2CH2)(3)N With aryl bromides. Molybdenum methyl complexes containing [1a-d](3-) can be prepared by adding 4 equiv of methyllithium to a mixture of the ligand and MoCl4(THF)(2); the corresponding chloride completes are obtained upon addition of 2,6-lutidinium chloride to the methyl complexes.