Synthesis and Characterization of Six-Coordinate Nitrido Complexes of Vanadium(V), Chromium(V), and Manganese(V). Isolation of a Dinuclear, Mixed-Valent &mgr;-Nitrido Chromium(III)/Chromium(V) Species.

Photolysis of a series of octahedral monoazido complexes of the type LM(III)(didentate ligand)(N(3))(+)X(n) of vanadium(III), chromium(III), and manganese(III) in the solid state or in solution yields quantitatively the corresponding six-coordinate nitrido complexes LM(V)(didentate ligand)(N)(+)X(n) and 1 equiv of dinitrogen. L represents the macrocycle 1,4,7-triazacyclononane or its N-methylated derivative (L'), the didentate ligands are pentane-2,4-dionate (acac), 2,2,6,6-tetramethylheptane-3,5-dionate (tacac), picolinate (pic), phenanthroline (phen), and oxalate (ox), and X(-) represents perchlorate or hexafluorophosphate. The following nitrido complexes were prepared: LV(V)(N)(acac) (6), LCr(V)(N)(acac) (13), LCr(V)(N)(tacac) (14), LCr(V)(N)(pic) (15), LCr(V)(N)(phen)(2) (16), [LCr(V)(N)(ox)] (19), [L'Mn(V)(N)(acac)]PF(6) (21). Photolysis of [LCr(III)(N(3))(ox)] (17) in the solid state produces the &mgr;-nitrido-bridged mixed-valent species L(2)Cr(2)(ox)(2)(&mgr;-N) (18). The structures of the precursor complex [L'Mn(acac)(N(3))]BPh(4) (20), of 13, and of [L'Mn(V)(N)(acac)]BPh(4) (21) have been determined by X-ray crystallography. Complex 13 crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pnma, with cell constants a = 27.187(5) Å, b = 9.228(2) Å, c = 7.070(1) Å, V = 1773.7(6) Å(3), and Z = 4; complex 20 crystallizes in the triclinic space group P&onemacr; with a = 14.769(5) Å, b = 16.83(1) Å, c = 16.96(1) Å, alpha = 108.19(5) degrees, beta = 105.06(4) degrees, gamma = 99.78(4) degrees, V = 3719(2) Å(3), and Z = 4; and complex 21 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n with a = 10.443(3) Å, b = 16.035(4) Å, c = 21.463(5) Å, beta = 95.76(1) degrees, V = 3575.9(14) Å(3), and Z = 4. The Cr(V)&tbd1;N and Mn(V)&tbd1;N distances are short at 1.575(9) and 1.518(4) Å, respectively, and indicate a metal-to-nitrogen triple bond.