Molybdocene dichloride

Molybdocene dichloride

Names
IUPAC name dichlorobis(η5-cyclopentadienyl)molybdenum(IV)
Other names molybdocene dichloride, molybdenocene dichloride, dichloridobis(cyclopentadienyl)molybdenum(IV)
Identifiers
CAS Number	12184-22-4
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
ChemSpider	398274
ECHA InfoCard	100.159.644
PubChem CID	452153
InChI InChI=1S/2C5H5.2ClH.Mo/c2*1-2-4-5-3-1;;;/h2*1-5H;2*1H;/q2*-1;;;+2/p-2 Key: QGGWSCVAFKWITK-UHFFFAOYSA-L InChI=1/2C5H5.2ClH.Mo/c2*1-2-4-5-3-1;;;/h2*1-5H;2*1H;/q2*-1;;;+2/p-2/r2C5H5.Cl2Mo/c2*1-2-4-5-3-1;1-3-2/h2*1-5H;/q2*-1; Key: QGGWSCVAFKWITK-OWLYHJECAX
SMILES [cH-]1cccc1.[cH-]1cccc1.Cl[Mo]Cl
Properties
Chemical formula	C10H10Cl2Mo
Molar mass	297.04 g·mol−1
Appearance	greenish-brown powder
Solubility in water	insoluble, moisture sensitive
Hazards
Safety data sheet
Related compounds
Related compounds	Ferrocene Zirconocene dichloride Vanadocene dichloride Niobocene dichloride Titanocene dichloride Tantalocene dichloride
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
Infobox references

Molybdocene dichloride is the organomolybdenum compound with the formula (η⁵-C₅H₅)₂MoCl₂ and IUPAC name dichlorobis(η⁵-cyclopentadienyl)molybdenum(IV), and is commonly abbreviated as Cp₂MoCl₂. It is a brownish-green air- and moisture-sensitive powder. In the research laboratory, it is used to prepare many derivatives.

The compound was first reported in 1964 by Malcolm Green and his student Cooper. It is prepared from molybdocene dihydride, which in turn is prepared by a famously complex reaction involving molybdenum pentachloride, sodium cyclopentadienide, and sodium borohydride. The dihydride converts to the dichloride upon treatment with chloroform:

The compound adopts a "clamshell" structure where the Cp rings are not parallel, the average Cp(centroid)-M-Cp angle being 130.6°. The two chloride ligands are cis, the Cl-Mo-Cl angle of 82° being narrower than in niobocene dichloride (85.6°), which in turn is less than in zirconacene dichloride (92.1°). This trend helped to establish the orientation of the HOMO in this class of complex.

Unlike the titanocene and zirconacene derivatives, the molybddocene compounds have yielded no commercial applications.

All metallocene dihalides exhibit some anti-cancer activity, but these have not yielded useful compounds in the clinic.