Potassium, ytterbium(II), and samarium(III) alkoxide complexes containing the <i>tris</i>((2-dimethylaminomethyl)phenyl)methoxide ligand: synthesis and structures

Abstract

The reaction oftris((2-dimethylaminomethyl)phenyl)methanol ((2-Me2NCH2C6H4)3COH) with potassium hydride in THF at –35°C affords dimeric alkoxide {[(2-Me2NCH2C6H4)3CO]K(THF)}2(I) in a yield of 90%. The reaction of compound I with YbI2(THF)2(1 : 1, 25°C) gives the Yb(II) alkoxyiodide complex {[(2-Me2NCH2C6H4)3CO]Yb(μ-I)(THF)2}2(II) in a yield of 57%. Complex II in the crystalline state is dimeric due to two bridging iodide ligands. Unlike the Yb(II) compound, the exchange reaction of complex I with SmI2(THF)2 (1 : 1, 25°C) in THF followed by the addition of dimethoxyethane (DME) involves the oxidation of the metal to form the trivalent samarium complex [(2-Me2NCH2C6H4)3CO]2SmI (III), which is isolated in a yield of 60%. The molecular structures of the complexes are determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) (CIF files CCDC nos. 2259700 (I), 2259701 (II), and 2259702 (III)).