Photochemical interaction of molybdenum and tungsten phosphine-hydride complexes with carbon oxide

To study photoactivation of small molecules by coordination compounds of transition metals, photochemical interaction of MoH4(dppe)2, MoH4(PMePh2)4, WH4(dppe)2, WH4(PMePh2)4 with carbon oxide has been investigated. Irradiation of the MH4L4 phosphine-hydride complexes in CO atmosphere results in consecutive substitution of carbonyl ligands for hydride- and phosphine ligands with the formation of M(CO)sub(x)Lsub(6-x) (x=2, 3, 4, 5). Degree of x substitution depends on the metal nature M, ligand L and irradiation duration. The rate of the MH4L4 photochemical interaction with CO exceeds the rate of the analogous dark reaction appoximately by two orders