Synthesis, structure, and lanthanide derivatives of an unusual hexameric alcohol: [2,4,6-(CF3)3C6H2CH 2OH]6

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/zaac.200400171

Hitherto unknown 2,4,6-tris(trifluoromethyl)benzyl alcohol (3) was synthesized in 41 % yield by treatment of freshly prepared R_FLi (2) with paraformaldehyde (R_F = 2,4,6-tris(trifluoromethyl)phenyl). According to an X-ray diffraction study the crystal structure of 3 consists of S₆ symmetric cyclic hexamers [2,4,6-(CF₃) ₃C₆H₂CH₂OH]₆. Deprotonation of 3 with NaN(SiMe₃)₂ in toluene afforded the unsolvated sodium alkoxide derivative R_FCH₂ONa (4). Homoleptic lanthanide alkoxides of the type Ln(OCH₂R _F)₃ (Ln = Nd (5), Sm (6), Yb (7)) were made by treatment of Ln(C₅H₅)₃ with three equivalents of 3. Similar reactions in a 1:1 molar ratio afforded the bis(cyclopentadienyl) lanthanide alkoxide derivatives (C₅H₅) ₂Ln(OCH₂R_F) (Ln = Nd (8), Sm (9), Yb (10)).