CIS-TETRACARBONYLBIS(TRIPHENYL PHOSPHITE)-MOLYBDENUM(0)

The coordination environment of the Mo atom in the title compound, [Mo(CO)4{P(C6H5O)3}2], is pseudo-octahedral, with principle dimensions Mo-P 2.442 (1), 2.443 (2), Mo-C(trans to P) 2.003 (6), 2.016 (6), Mo-C(trans to C) 2.032 (7), 2.042 (6) angstrom, P-Mo-P 89.55 (5), trans-P-Mo-C 178.0 (2), 173.9 (2), trans-C-Mo-C 175.5 (2)degrees. The geometry about the P atom is distorted from tetrahedral, with larger Mo-P-O angles [mean 117.3 (2)degrees] and smaller O-P-O angles [mean 100.5 (2)degrees]. The short Mo-P bond distances indicate the strong pi-acceptor ability of P(OPh)3, as also evidenced by the highly shielded delta(Mo-95) value (-1754 p.p.m.).