Synthesis, Structure, and Lanthanide Derivatives of an Unusual Hexameric Alcohol: [2,4,6‐(CF3)3C6H2CH2OH]6

Abstract

AbstractHitherto unknown 2,4,6‐tris(trifluoromethyl)benzyl alcohol (3) was synthesized in 41 % yield by treatment of freshly prepared RFLi (2) with paraformaldehyde (RF = 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 RFCH2ONa (4). Homoleptic lanthanide alkoxides of the type Ln(OCH2RF)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(OCH2RF) (Ln = Nd (8), Sm (9), Yb (10)).