Molybdenum and Tungsten Alkylidyne Complexes Containing Mono-, Bi-, and Tridentate N-Heterocyclic Carbenes

New tungsten and molybdenum alkylidyne complexes bearing mono-, bi-, and tridentate N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have been synthesized. Formation of unprecedented structures in complexes bearing N-tert-butyl substituents on the imidazol(in)-2-ylidene was observed, leading to molybdenum complexes containing an abnormal carbene (Mo-4) and a bridging O,C,C-pincer ligand (Mo-10) and to a tungsten complex containing a cationic imidazolinium-tagged alkoxide forming an inner salt with an anionic tungsten center (W-5). Both the abnormal carbene binding in Mo-4 and the O,C,C-pincer-type structure of Mo-10 were confirmed by single crystal X-ray analysis, and the proposed structure of W-5 is supported by the single-crystal X-ray structure of a minor byproduct (W-8) formed during the synthesis of W-4, displaying the aforementioned inner-salt-like structure. The novel alkylidyne complexes were also investigated for their capability to form a previously postulated quasi-cationic species with a weakly coordinating anion (WCA) during the alkyne homometathesis of 1-phenyl-1-propyne. Overall, incorporation of bidentate and strongly a donating NHCs as well as introduction of better leaving groups did not lead to the expected increase in catalytic activity. Despite identical ligand spheres, changing from molybdenum to tungsten led to complete loss of activity in the bidentate systems.