Reduction of CO2 by Pyridine Monoimine Molybdenum Carbonyl Complexes: Cooperative Metal-Ligand Binding of CO2.

[(^ArPMI)Mo(CO)₄] complexes (PMI=pyridine monoimine; Ar=Ph, 2,6-di- iso-propylphenyl) were synthesized and their electrochemical properties were probed with cyclic voltammetry and infrared spectroelectrochemistry (IR-SEC). The complexes undergo a reduction at more positive potentials than the related [(bipyridine)Mo(CO)₄] complex, which is ligand based according to IR-SEC and DFT data. To probe the reaction product in more detail, stoichiometric chemical reduction and subsequent treatment with CO₂ resulted in the formation of a new product that is assigned as a ligand-bound carboxylate, [( [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]