Oxidation of quadruply bonded Cr2(dpa)4, Mo2(dpa)4, MoW(dpa)4, and W2(dpa)4 (dpa = 2,2'-dipyridylamido) with 2 equiv of silver(I) triflate or ferrocenium triflate results in the formation of the two-electron-oxidized products [Cr2(dpa)4](2+) (1), [Mo2(dpa)4](2+) (2), [MoW(dpa)4](2+) (3), and [W2(dpa)4](2+) (4). Additional two-electron oxidation and oxygen atom transfer by m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid results in the formation of the corresponding metal-oxo compounds [Mo2O(dpa)4](2+) (5), [WMoO(dpa)4](2+) (6), and [W2O(dpa)4](2+) (7), which feature an unusual linear M···M≡O structure. Crystallographic studies of the two-electron-oxidized products 2, 3, and 4, which have the appropriate number of orbitals and electrons to form metal-metal triple bonds, show bond distances much longer (by >0.5 Å) than those in established triply bonded compounds, but these compounds are nonetheless diamagnetic. In contrast, the Cr-Cr bond is completely severed in 1, and the resulting two isolated Cr(3+) magnetic centers couple antiferromagnetically with J/kB= -108(3) K [-75(2) cm(-1)], as determined by modeling of the temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility. Density functional theory (DFT) and multiconfigurational methods (CASSCF/CASPT2) provide support for "stretched" and weak metal-metal triple bonds in 2, 3, and 4. The metal-metal distances in the metal-oxo compounds 5, 6, and 7 are elongated beyond the single-bond covalent radii of the metal atoms. DFT and CASSCF/CASPT2 calculations suggest that the metal atoms have minimal interaction; the electronic structure of these complexes is used to rationalize their multielectron redox reactivity.

The heterometallic complexes CrCrM(dpa)(4)Cl(2) (dpa = 2,2'-dipyridylamide) featuring linear Cl-Cr≡Cr···M-Cl chains can regiospecifically be modified via axial ligand substitution to yield OTf-Cr≡Cr···M-Cl chains (OTf = triflate) with M being Fe, Mn, or Co. The effect of OTf substitution on the Cr side of the molecule has an unusual and profound structural impact on the square-pyramidal transition metal M. Specifically, elongation of the four equatorial M-N(py) bonds and the axial M-Cl bonds by 0.03 and 0.09 Å for Fe and 0.07 and 0.11 Å for Mn is observed. The longer M-Cl and M-N(py) bonds result from subtle interactions between the equatorial dpa ligand and the three metal ions. The equatorial dpa ligand responds to the introduction of the more labile OTf ligand at Cr by binding more strongly to this Cr ion which in turn weakens bonding to M. The ligand field experienced by M can be tuned by changing the Cr axial ligand, and this effect is observed in electrochemical measurements of the iron compounds.

We report here two novel synthetic pathways toward the preparation of a family of trimetallic diazide compounds of the type Cr(2)M(dpa)(4)(N(3))(2), with M = Cr (10), Mn (4), Fe (5), and Co (11). Reaction of either Cr(2)M(dpa)(4)(OTf)(2) (for M = Mn and Fe) or [Cr(2)M(dpa)(4)(MeCN)(2)](PF(6))(2) (for M = Cr and Co) with sodium azide in methanol leads to the formation of the corresponding diazide compounds, and single crystal X-ray diffraction measurements confirm the predicted structures. Compounds 4, 5, and 10 are all high-spin compounds, but 11 is a spin-crossover compound exhibiting low-spin behavior at low temperatures (~100 K). Thermolytic characterization by DSC and TGA reveals an exothermic reaction corresponding to the loss of two dinitrogen molecules from compounds 5, 10, and 11. Further characterization by solution NMR measurements and cyclic voltammetry are also presented.

The reactivity of a series of trans-Ru(P(2))(2)Cl(2) complexes with H(2) was explored. The complexes reacted with H(2) via a stepwise H(2) addition/heterolysis pathway to form the trans-[Ru(P(2))(2)(H(2))H](+) dihydrogen complexes. Some of the resulting eta(2)-H(2) complexes were surprisingly inert to substitution by water, even at concentrations as high as 55 M; however, the identity of the bidentate phosphine ligand greatly influenced the lability of the coordinated eta(2)-H(2) ligand. With less electron-donating phosphine ligands, the H(2) ligand was susceptible to substitution by H(2)O, whereas with more electron-rich phosphine ligands, the H(2) ligand was inert to substitution by water. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the ligand substitution reactions showed that the Ru-H(2) and Ru-H(2)O complexes are very close in energy, and therefore slight changes in the donor properties of the bidentate phosphine ligand can inhibit or promote the substitution of H(2)O for H(2).

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