Inorganic Chemistry, Vol.42, No.19, 6089-6094, 2003
Synthesis of group 1 metal 2,6-diphenylphenoxide complexes [M(OC6H3Ph2-2,6)] (M = Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs) and structures of the solvent-free complexes [Rb(OC6H3Ph2-2,6)](x) and [CS(OC6H3Ph2-2,6)](x): One-dimensional extended arrays of metal aryloxides
Reaction of 2,6-diphenylphenol (HOC6H3Ph2-2,6) with (BuLi)-Bu-n, NaH, KH, or Rb or Cs metal in benzene gives the solvent-free complexes [M(OAr)](x) in excellent yield. The complex [Rb(OC6H3Ph2-2,6)](x) exhibits a ladderlike structure in the solid state with triply bridging oxygen atoms and Rb-O distances of 2.743(3), 2.930(2), and 2.973(2) Angstrom. The Rb cations interact with the pi-electron cloud of the arene moieties, giving rise to a high Rb coordination number. The cesium-containing congener forms a layered, columnlike structure consisting of [Cs-2(mu(2)-OAr)(2)] units, with nearly identical Cs-O distances of 2.945(2) and 2.947(2) Angstrom. The individual layers are held together solely by Cs-arene pi-interactions.