Cycloheptatrienemolybdenum tricarbonyl is the organomolybdenum compound with the formula (C7H8)Mo(CO)3. It is a red-orange solid that is soluble in nonpolar organic solvents. The compound has no practical value but is a prototypical complex of cycloheptatriene.
The compound is prepared by thermal reaction of the triene with molybdenum hexacarbonyl:[1]
C7H8 + Mo(CO)6 → (C7H8)Mo(CO)3 + 3 CO
The compound is a piano stool complex, consisting of Mo(CO)3 bound to six carbon centers of the triene. The methylene group projects from the plane of the six coordinated carbon atoms.[2]
The compound reacts with trityl salts to give the cycloheptatrienyl complex:[3]
(C7H8)Mo(CO)3 + (C6H5)3C+ → [(C<sub>7</sub>H<sub>7</sub>)Mo(CO)<sub>3</sub>]+ + (C6H5)3CH