Chain compounds of molybdenum(II) trifluoroacetate linked by p-quinones [Mo2(O2CCF3)4(p-quin)]n, p-quin = 9,10-anthraquinone, 2,6-dimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone, and 1,4-naphthoquinone

A series of chain complexes of molybdenum(II) trifluoroacetate linked by p-quinones, [Mo-2(O2CCF3)(4)(p-quin)](n), p-quin = 9,10-anthraquinone (9,10-aq), 2,6-dimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone (2,6-dmbq), and 1,4-naphthoquinone (1,4-nq) have been prepared. The X-ray structure analyses showed that the carbonyl oxygens of the p-quinones are coordinated to the Mo-2 dimers with distances of 2.478(6) and 2.532(5) Angstrom (for 9,10-aq), 2.619(9) and 2.596(10) Angstrom (for 2,6-dmbq), and 2.522(8) Angstrom (for 1,4-nq), respectively. The Mo-Mo bond distances are 2.107(1)-2.117(1) Angstrom, which are slightly longer than that of Mo-2(O2CCF3)(4) (2.090(4) Angstrom). Elongation of the C=O and C=C bonds of the 9,10-aq and 2,6-dmbq molecules on the coordination has been observed, but the bond distances of the coordinated and uncoordinated 1,4-nq molecules are similar to each other. The difference is discussed in terms of the oxidizing abilities and the symmetries of the p-quinones.