Hexa(tert-butoxy)dimolybdenum(III)

Hexa(tert-butoxy)dimolybdenum(III) is a <a href="/facts/Coordination_complex/1tCyeQUm">coordination complex</a> of <a href="/facts/Molybdenum/RX6vp2bF">molybdenum</a>(III). It is one of the <a href="/facts/Homoleptic/QjKkfHqS">homoleptic</a> <a href="/facts/Alkoxide/RqG0rm1v">alkoxides</a> of molybdenum. An orange, air-sensitive solid, the complex has attracted academic attention as the precursor to many <a href="/facts/Organomolybdenum/uKKGKQ97">organomolybdenum</a> derivatives. It an example of a charge-neutral complex featuring a molybdenum to molybdenum <a href="/facts/Triple_bond/poDWRayX">triple bond</a> (Mo≡Mo), arising from the coupling of a pair of d3 metal centers. It can be prepared by a <a href="/facts/Salt_metathesis_reaction/YpadY3lq">salt metathesis reaction</a> from the <a href="/facts/Tetrahydrofuran/P5t6SkMK">THF</a> complex of <a href="/facts/Molybdenum_trichloride/RBu6IVJd">molybdenum trichloride</a> and <a href="/facts/Lithium_tert-butoxide/IL0ALCUS">lithium tert-butoxide</a>:

2 MoCl3(thf)3 + 6 LiOBu-t → Mo2(OBu-t)6 + 6 LiCl + 6 thf
The complex and its <a href="/facts/Hexa(tert-butoxy)ditungsten(III)/ePFhFyd8">ditungsten (W2) analogue</a> adopt an ethane-like geometry. The metal to metal bond distance is 222 <a href="/facts/Picometer/Cb54mVBX">pm</a> in the related complex Mo2(OCH2CMe3)6.

Hexa(tert-butoxy)dimolybdenum(III) open-in-new

Hexa(tert-butoxy)dimolybdenum(III)