title: Synthesis and structural characterisation of lithium and sodium 2,6-dibenzylphenolate complexes.
abstract: The stoichiometric treatment of 2,6-dibenzylphenol (HOdbp) or 2,2"-dimethoxy-2,6-dibenzylphenol (HOdbpOMe) with n-butyllithium or sodium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide (the latter as a solution in THF) in Et2O or DME affords the dimeric alkali metal phenolates [{M(Odbp)(L)}2] (M = Li; L = Et2O (1), L = DME (2), M = Na; L = Et2O (5), L = DME (6)), [{Li(OdbpOMe)}2] (3) and [{M(OdbpOMe)(L)}2] (M = Li; L = DME (4), M = Na; L = THF (7), L = DME (8)). Complexes 3 and 7 exhibit -OdbpOMe methoxy coordination and all four sodium complexes (5-8) display pi-aryl contacts from one phenolate radial arm to each sodium centre. The attempted synthesis of {Na(odbp)}n by direct sodiation of HOdbp yields a small quantity of the 2-benzylphenolate [{Na(Ombp)(DME)}4] (9) (-Ombp = -OC6H4-2-CH2Ph), providing a rare example of benzyl C-C bond scission.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, Monash University, Victoria, 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: Marcus L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Junk
authors.forename: Kathryn M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Proctor
authors.forename: Janet L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Christopher R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Strauss