Synthesis and photochemical properties of a new molybdenum porphycene complex.

A new molybdenum porphycene complex, which is a new complex having oxo and chloro groups at the axial positions, was successfully synthesized. This chloro(oxo)molybdenum(v) complex, [Mo(V)(OEPc)(O)Cl] (1) has strong absorption bands in the visible region attributed to the properties of the porphycene and is very attractive from a photochemical viewpoint. This complex was readily reduced from Mo(v) to Mo(iv) species to yield [Mo(IV)(OEPc)(O)] under anaerobic irradiation by visible light. This photochemical reaction mechanism is derived from the homolytic cleavage of the axial ligand. Furthermore, this photochemical reduction proceeded very effectively compared to that for the corresponding porphyrin complex.