Electronic absorption and emission spectra are reported for salts of two oxomolybdenum(IV) cations, [MoOCl(CN-t-Bu)(4)](+) and [MoOCl(Ph(2)PCH(2)CH(2)PPh(2))(2)](+), and for the new Mo(IV) complex [trans-Mo(OCH(3))(2)(CN-t-Bu)(4)](2+). All three ions show absorption bands (lambda(max,abs) 550-570 nm; epsilon 45-120 M(-)(1) cm(-)(1)) attributable to the (1)A(1)[(d(xy)())(2)] --> (1)E[(d(xy)())(1)(d(xz)()(,)(yz)())(1)] (C(4)(v)()) transition, and the last two show weak shoulders in the 700-750 nm range due to the analogous spin-forbidden ((1)A(1) --> (3)E) transition. Phosphorescence (lambda(max,em) 850-960 nm) occurs in the solid state for all three compounds at both room temperature and 77 K, and for [MoOCl(CN-t-Bu)(4)](+) in CH(2)Cl(2) at room temperature. These are the first phosphorescences recorded for molybdenum(IV) complexes. [MoOCl(CN-t-Bu)(4)](BPh(4)) precipitates quickly if NaBPh(4) is added to the Mo(IV) solution prepared from MoCl(5) and tert-butyl isocyanide in CH(3)OH. However, if NaPF(6) is used instead, [trans-Mo(OCH(3))(2)(CN-t-Bu)(4)](PF(6))(2) (formed by reaction of [MoOCl(CN-t-Bu)(4)](+) with methanol) crystallizes over a period of ca. 24 h. The crystal structure of [trans-Mo(OCH(3))(2)(CN-t-Bu)(4)](PF(6))(2) has been determined: C(22)H(42)F(12)MoN(4)O(2)P(2), monoclinic; space group P2(1)/c; a = 9.1538(8) Å, b = 15.709(2) Å, c = 13.456(2) Å; beta = 103.31(1) degrees; Z = 2; R(F) = 0.063, R(w)(F) = 0.056 for 2719 reflections with I > sigma(I).