Transition metal oxo complex
class of chemical compounds
A transition metal oxo complex is a coordination complex containing an oxo ligand. Formally O2–, an oxo ligand can be bound to one or more metal centers, meaning it can exist as a terminal or (most commonly) as a bridging ligand. Oxo ligands stabilize high oxidation states of a metal. They are also found in several metalloproteins, for example in molybdenum cofactors and in many iron-containing enzymes. One of the earliest synthetic compounds to incorporate an oxo ligand is potassium ferrate (K2FeO4), which was likely prepared by Georg E. Stahl in 1702.
Reactivity
Olation and acid-base reactions
A common reaction exhibited by metal oxo compounds is olation, the condensation process that converts low molecular weight oxides to polymers with M−O−M linkages. Olation often begins with the deprotonation of a metal hydroxo complex. It is the basis for mineralization and the precipitation of metal oxides. For the oxides of d0 metals, VV, NbV, TaV, MoVI, and WVI, the olation process affords polyoxometallates, a large class of molecular metal oxides.
Oxygen-atom transfer
Metal oxo complexes are intermediates in many metal-catalyzed oxidation reactions.
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