One-step synthesis and P-H bond cleavage reactions of the phosphanyl complex syn-[MoCp{PH(2,4,6-C 6 H 2 t Bu 3 )}(CO) 2 ] to give heterometallic phosphinidene-bridged derivatives.

Photolysis of [Mo2Cp2(CO)(6)] and PH2R* (R* = 2,4,6-(C6H2Bu3)-Bu-t) yielded the title complex, which turned out to be a versatile precursor of novel heterometallic phosphinidene-bridged complexes via three different P-H bond activation processes: photolysis, deprotonation and reduction. In this way the new complexes [MoReCp(mu-PR*)(CO)(n)] (n = 6,7), [MoFeCp2(mu-PR*)(CO)(m)], (m = 3, 4) and [MoAuCp(mu-PR*)(CO)(2){P(p-tol)(3)}] were prepared.