Synthesis, structure and redox properties of bis(cyclopentadienyl)dithiolene complexes of molybdenum and tungsten.

The compounds [Cp(2)M(S(2)C(2)(H)R)] (M = Mo or W; R = phenyl, pyridin-2-yl, pyridin-3-yl, pyridin-4-yl or quinoxalin-2-yl) and [Cp(2)Mo(S(2)C(2)(Me)(pyridin-2-yl)] have been prepared by a facile and general route for the synthesis of dithiolene complexes, viz. the reaction of [Cp(2)MCl(2)] (M = Mo or W) with the dithiolene pro-ligand generated by reacting the corresponding 4-(R)-1,3-dithiol-2-one with CsOH. These Mo compounds were reported previously (Hsu et al.