Synthesis and structure of organic-soluble binuclear molecular phosphonates of tantalum, molybdenum, and tungsten

The reaction of (eta 5-C5Me5)TaMe4 with tert-butylphosphonic acid leads to the formation of a mixture of compounds: [[(eta 5-C5Me5)TaMe][t-BuP(O)(OH)][t-BuP(O)(OH)2]]2(t-BuPO3)2 (1) and [[(eta 5-C5Me5)Ta][t-BuP(O)(OH)2]]2(t-BuPO3)2(mu-O)2 (2). Compound 2 was also obtained by recrystallization of 1 from a THF/hexane mixture. Reaction of (eta 5-C5Me5)MCl4 (M = Mo, W) with PhP(O)(OH)2 yields the binuclear phosphonates [[(eta 5-C5Me5)M][PhP(O)(OH)2]]2(PhPO3)2(mu-O)2 (M = Mo (3); M = W (4)). Compounds 2.THF and 3(.)2.5THF were characterized by single-crystal X-ray studies. The tantalum and molybdenum phosphonates 2.THF and 3(.)2.5THF have different structures as compared to those of the previously reported titanophosphonate cages.