The electronic structures and bonding interactions in the syn and anti isomers of Mo₂S₄(edt)₂²⁻ (edt = ethanedithiolato, (SCH₂CH₂S)²⁻) were examined and compared through Fenske-Hall and extended Huckel molecular orbital calculations. The electronic structures of a hypothetical closed isomer and the fragment MoS₃(edt)³⁻ were calculated as well. A molybdenum-molybdenum bonding interaction accounts for the diamagnetism of the complexes and is important in determining the relative stabilities of the isomers (syn > closed > anti). The structure of the syn isomer of (P(C₆H₅)₄)₂W₂S₄(edt)₂ was determined by X-ray crystallography. The compound crystallizes in the space group P2₁/n with a = 16.126(7)A, b = 25.03(1)A, c = 13.021(6)A, β = 101.73(4)°, and Z = 4. The calculated and observed densities are 1.755 and 1.757 g cm⁻³. Full-matrix least squares refinement of the 7414 data with Fₒ² > 3σ(Fₒ²) gave R = 0.039 and R(w) = 0.046. Each tungsten atom is ligated by five sulfur atoms in approximate tetragonal-pyramidal geometry. The W-W distance is 2.862(1)A, indicating a metal-metal bond. The average W-S(terminal) distance is 2.144(2)A, the average W-S(bridging) is 2.328(2)A, and the average W-S(edt) distance is 2.404(2)A. A variety of sulfur compounds, including hydrogen sulfide, aromatic and aliphatic thiols, cysteine, and bisulfite reduced MoO(TTP)OR, oxoalkoxotetratolylporphinatomolybdenum(V) (R = H, CH₃, C₂H₅, C₅H₁₁, MoO(TTP)), to the corresponding Mo(IV) species, MoO(TTP). The kinetics of the redox reaction between MoO(TTP)OC₂H₅ and RSH (R = C₂H₅, C₆H₅) were monitored at ambient temperature. The rate law d(Mo(IV))/dt = k₂(Mo(V))(RSH), with k₂ = 8.0 x 10⁻¹³ M⁻¹sec⁻¹ for C₂H₅SH and k₂ = 8.2 M⁻¹sec⁻¹ for C₆H₅SH describes the kinetic data. Sulfur compounds also reduced MoO₂(TTP). The kinetics of the redox reaction of the novel compound MoO(TTP)HSO₃ were monitored in chloroform solution at ambient temperature. The rate law d(Mo(IV))/dt = k₂(Mo(V))² with k₂ = 3.4 x 10² M⁻¹sec⁻¹ describes the kinetic data. Oxidation of MoO(TTP) to Mo(V) occurs in the presence of air. Oxidation catalysis by oxomolybdenum porphyrins was demonstrated for the substrates C₂H₅SH, C₆H₅SH, and HSO₃⁻. Mechanisms for these reactions are proposed.

M.Sc. / Please refer to full text to view abstract.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Chemistry, 1982. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND SCIENCE / Vita. / Includes bibliographical references. / by Scott M. Rocklage. / Ph.D.

M.Sc. / Please refer to full text to view abstract.

Thermal reactions and flash photolysis are used to study the olefin bond-migration promoted by tungsten carbonyls. Substitution of piperidine (pip) by 2- allylphenyldiphenylphosphine (adpp) in the cis-(pip)(η^1- adpp)W(CO)-4 complex was investigated, and no olefin bond-migration was observed. This suggests that a vacant coordinated site adjacent to the coordinated olefin is an essential requirement for olefin bond rearrangement. The rates of olefin attack on the photogenerated coordinatively unsaturated species, cis-[(CB)(η^1-ol- P)W(CO)-4] (CB = chlorobenzene, p-ol = Ph-2P(CH-2)-3CH=CH-2; n = 1-4) were measured. Kinetics data obtained both in pure CB and in CB/cyclohexane mixtures support a dissociative mechanism in which the W-CB bond is broken in the transition state. In contrast to results observed in studies of other related systems, no olefin bond-migration is noted. This observation is attributed to P-W coordination at all stages of the reaction, which precludes formation of a reactive intermediate containing a vacant coordination site adjacent to a P-ol bond.