Carboxylate Bridged Octaphenyltetra-antimony (V) ‘Cage’ Compounds; [(SbPh2)4(μ-O)4(μ-OH)2(μ-O2CR)2· HO2CR], where R = Me or t-Bu and the Crystal Structure of [(SbPh2)4(μ-O)4(μ-OH) (μ-OEt)(μ-O2CMe)2

Abstract

Reactions of [SbPh2BrO]2 with carboxylates did not give [SbPh2(O2CR[2, the expected substitution products, which are highly sensitive to hydrolysis by traces of moisture, and cage compounds containing an Sb4O6 unit were obtained instead. With silver acetate and sodium trimethylacetate the products were [(SbPh2)4(μ-O)4(μ-OH)2(μ-O2CR)2]·HO2CR, R = Me 1 and R = t-Bu 2, respectively. An unusual compound, [(SbPh2)4(μ-O)4(μ-OH)(μ-OEt(μ-O2CMe)2] 3, in which one of the bridging hydroxo groups in 1 is replaced by an ethoxo group, was also isolated and its crystal structure determined.