fac-Tricarbonyl[bis(2-pyridylmethyl) ether-N,O,N′]molybdenum(0)

Reaction of bis(2-pyridylmethyl) ether with [Mo(CO)₃­(Me­CN)₃] in MeCN gives the title compound, [Mo(C₁₂H₁₂-N₂O)(CO)₃], (I), as a yellow crystalline product. Compound (I) has been characterized by ¹H NMR and IR spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray crystallography. In contrast with other examples of low-valent early transition metal complexes of ethers, the ether linkage of (I) appears relatively inert. Nevertheless, the weak donor property of the ether ligand is evidenced by a trans effect manifested as a short Mo—CO bond length for the carbonyl ligand trans to the ether ligand.