Reactions of quadruply chelated silyl– and germyl–molybdenum hydrido complexes with carboxylic acids and carbon dioxide: a first example of carbon dioxide fixation utilizing the trans effect of a silyl ligand

The reaction of molybdenum complexes [MoH3{E(Ph)[Ph2PCH2CH2P(Ph)C6H4-o]2}] (E = Si or Ge) with carboxylic acids gave carboxylato complexes where the carboxylato ligand coordinates to the metal in a unidentate mode; the formato complex was found to be an effective catalyst for carbon dioxide fixation.