Synthesis and structural characterisation of an unusual tetranuclear oxomolybdenum(VI) complex of dihydroxybenzoquinone, [Mo4O10(O4C6H2)2]2–, and a comparison with the mononuclear chloranilate complex [MoO2(HO4C6Cl2)(O4C6Cl2)]1–

Abstract

While reaction of the sterically encumbered chloranil group with (Mo₂O₇)^2– yields the mononuclear species [MoO₂(L)(LH)]^1–(L = C₆O₄Cl₂), dihydroxylbenzoquinone under similar conditions yields the tetranuclear cluster [(Mo₂O₅)₂(C₆H₂O₄)]^2–, a species with magnetically coupled semiquinone ligands.