Hydrogen Bonding in Alcohols (see Org. & Biomol.Chem., 2003, 1, 700-704).
A database study has been used to rationalise the unusual crystallochemistry
of tertiary alcohols. these compounds show an unusually strong preference
for trigonal and tetragonal space groups and a tendency to crystallise
with asymmetric units which contain several molecules.
Nitrogen Ylides as Ligands (see Polyhedron, 2003, 22, 3345).
The ability of Me3N(+)N(-)X ylides to ligate silver(I) and mercury(II)
has been demonstrated for the first time.
The Electron-Rich Mo2(m -SMe)3 Nucleus
Complexes containing the Cp2Mo2(m -SMe)3 skeleton are capable of binding such ligands as alkynes and nitriles and various nitrogen-donors. The resulting complexes are sufficiently stable to make chemical transformation of the bound ligands feasible. The intrinsic interest of this chemistry is reinforced by its possible use as a model for biological reactions catalysed by enzymes with metal-sulfur prosthetic groups and for the action of sulfur as a catalyst poison.
The resulting compounds are often quite novel. Recently we reported
the structure of the m-iodosulfenyl complex
1
which results from the unexpected iodination of a thiolate sulfur atom.
This cationic complex is stabilised by complicated polyiodide sheets (see
Inorg.
Chem., 2000, 39, 5879).
Another exciting result comes from the attempted reduction of a nitrile
complex. It led instead to the borohydride reagent sticking to the Mo2(m
-SMe)3 nucleus to form [Cp2Mo2(m
-SMe)3(m -BH4)] 2
(see
Chem.
Commun., 2000, 2137).
This work is part of a long-standing and much-valued collaboration with Professor Francois Y. Petillon of the Universite de Bretagne Occidentale in Brest. If you are interested, our earlier work in this area is comprehensively reviewed in Coordination Chem. Reviews, 1998, 180, 203.
