Connecting pairs of dimetal units to form molecular loops

Four compounds consisting of molecular loops formed from two quadruply bond ed Mo-2(DAniF)(2) (DAniF = N,N'-di-p-anisylformamidinate) units Linked by t wo dicarboxylate anions have been prepared in high purity and essentially q uantitative yields. These compounds have been characterized by crystallogra phy and NMR spectroscopy and display electrochemical behavior dependent on the nature of the dicarboxylate anion. However, the electronic communicatio n between the two Mo-2(4+) units is not strong. As denoted by the dicarboxy late linkers, the compounds are malonate, 1, 1,4-phenylendiacetate, 2, homo phthalate, 3, and trans-cyclopentane-1,2-dicarboxylate, 4.