Six-Coordinate Nitrosyl and Nitro Complexes of meso-Tetratolylporphyrinatocobalt with Trans Sulfur-Donor Ligands

By Fourier transform infrared and optical spectroscopy, it has been observed that interactions of dimethyl sulfide and tetrahydrothiophene with nitrosyl and nitro complexes of meso-tetra-p-tolylporphyrinatocobalt [Co(TTP)] lead to the formation of previously unknown six-coordinate species. Nitrosyl complexes of the general formula (S-donor)Co(TTP)(NO) are thermally unstable and can be seen only at low temperatures both in the solid state and in solution. The nitro complexes (S-donor)Co(TTP)(NO2) are fairly stable at room temperature in the solid state but partly decompose upon dissolution. The binding constants for these complexation reactions were determined. In contrast to the solid-state iron nitritoporphyrin complexes, oxo-transfer reactions from the coordinated nitro group of Co(TTP)(NO2) to the S donors, resulting in oxidation of these sulfides and the formation of Co(TTP)(NO), were not observed.