Solution Photophysics, One-Electron Photooxidation, and Photoinitiated Two-Electron Oxidation of Molybdenum(III) Complexes.

Several six-coordinate Mo(III) complexes phosphoresce and undergo photooxidation in room-temperature solution. The phosphorescence of (Me(3)[9]aneN(3))MoX(3) (Me(3)[9]aneN(3) = 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) in CH(3)CN at room temperature occurs with the following maxima, lifetimes, and quantum yields: X = Cl, 1120 nm, 1.0 &mgr;s, and 6.1 x 10(-)(5); X = Br, 1130 nm, 0.80 &mgr;s, and 9.6 x 10(-)(5); and X = I, 1160 nm, 0.40 &mgr;s, and 1.2 x 10(-)(4), respectively. The phosphorescences are assigned to the {(2)E(g), (2)T(1g)} --> (4)A(2g) transition. Solutions of HB(Me(2)pz)(3)Mo(III)Cl(3)(-) Me(2)pzH = 3,5-dimethylpyrazole) in CH(3)CN, and solid MoCl(3)(py)(3) and (Me(3)[9]aneN(3))WCl(3), also phosphoresce. (Me(3)[9]aneN(3))MoX(3) (X = Cl, Br, I) complexes undergo reversible one-electron photooxidation upon irradiation in the presence of acceptors such as TCNE and chloranil. (Me(3)[9]aneN(3))MoX(3) (X = Br, I only) are photooxidized irreversibly to [(Me(3)[9]aneN(3))Mo(IV)X(3)](+) by C(NO(2))(4) in CH(3)CN. In CH(3)CN-H(2)O (1:1 v/v), photoinitiated two-electron oxidation occurs: the primary photoproduct is Mo(IV), which disproportionates spontaneously to form [(Me(3)[9]aneN(3))Mo(V)OX(2)](+).