Molybdenum Carbonyl Complexes as Dehydrogenative Catalysts: Relative ACTIVITY TOWARD R3EH, E = Si, Ge and Sn

We report the use of cyclopentadienyl molybdenum alkyl complexes (C₅H₅)Mo(CO)₃Me, and (C₅H₅)Mo(CO)₂(PPh₃)Me to catalyze interesting dehydrogenative reactions with group 14 hydrides. Compounds of the type R₂SnH₂, R₂SiH₂, R₃SnH, R₃SiH, R₃GeH have been treated to catalytic amounts of the catalysts to form, depending the conditions (thermal or photochemical) and solvents: siloxanes, germoxanes, silanols, stannoxanes and distannanes. In the case of stannanes redistribution reactions involving formation of R₄Sn were also observed. Isolation of a reactive Mo-Sn bonded catalytic species was achieved and its single crystal analysis obtained. We thank to the Welch Foundation, Houston, TX for support.