Na2[(mu-N,N'-C10H12N2O8)(mu-O)(mu-S)-Mo2O2].2H2O

Analogs of bridging-oxo complexes of dimolybdenum(V) where sulfide replaces one or both bridges are known. After reduction of [(MoO3)2(mu-edta)]4- (edta is ethylenediaminetetraacetate) with dithionite at pH 6 in the absence of dioxygen, slow replacement of bridging oxide with sulfide produced in situ produces the title compound, disodium mu-(ethylenediaminetetraacetato)-mu-oxo-mu-sulfido-bis[oxomolyb denum(V)] dihydrate, Na2-[Mo2O3S(C10H12N2O8)].2H2O. IR and NMR spectroscopic analyses are consistent with an unsymmetrical complex. In the molecular structure, the Mo centers have distorted octahedral coordination, with an average Mo-S distance of 2.320 (1) A and an average bridging Mo-O distance of 1.938 (3) A. The Mo...Mo contact distance [2.666 (1) A] is intermediate between those in comparable di-mu-oxo and di-mu-sulfido complexes. The two Na+ ions have five and six nearest O atoms in their coordination spheres, which each include one disordered water oxygen.