Hydrogen bonding and proton transfer involving the trihydride complexes Cp*M(dppe)H 3 (M = Mo, W) and fluorinated alcohols: the competitive role of the hydride ligands and metal

International audience; The protonation of complexes Cp*M(dppe)H3 (dppe is ethylenebis(diphenylphosphine), M = Mo (1), W (2)) by a variety of fluorinated alcohols of different acid strength (FCH2CH2OH, CF3CH2OH, (CF3)2CHOH, and (CF3)3COH) was investigated experimentally by the variable temperature spectroscopic methods (IR, NMR) and stopped-flow technique (UV-Vis). The structures of the hydrogen-bonded and proton transfer products were studied by DFT calculations. In agreement with the calculation results, the IR data suggest that the initial hydrogen bond is established with a hydride site for complex 1 and with the metal site for complex 2. However, no intermediate dihydrogen complex foun…