Preparation and crystal structure of an oxoimido complex of molybdenum containing the 2,4,6-triphenylphenylimide ligand

Reaction of 2,4,6-triphenylaniline with Na2MoO4 in the presence of SiMe(3)Cl and NEt(3) in 1,2-dimethoxyethane (dme) gave the oxoimido complex [MoCl2(NC(6)H(2)Ph(3)-2,4,6)O(dme)]. Its crystal structure determination showed a distorted octahedron with mutually cis-oxo and imido groups, trans-chloride ligands and the dme oxygen atoms trans to the oxide and imide ligands. The Mo-N-imido and Mo-O-oxo bond lengths [1.756(7) and 1.700(6) Angstrom] are consistent with four- and two-electron donor ligands, respectively. The phenyl ring of the imide ligand orientates with the face of one ortho substituent phenyl ring pushing away from a chloride ligand and tilted towards the oxide ligand. The second such phenyl ring tilts away from a chloride: ligand but does not push away from the side of the molecule. This occurs as the imido group bends towards the other side of the molecule [Mo-N-C 172.2(7)degrees] and a methyl group of the dme ligand is severely distorted to remove an interaction with the phenyl ring.