FUNCTIONALIZED TRIPOD-LIGANDS WITH NEOPENTANE FRAMEWORK - REACTION OFHOCH2C(CH(2)PR(2))(3) WITH ELECTROPHILES

Several ways to functionalize hydroxy-tripod-ligands (HOCH2C(CH(2)PR(2 ))(3)) by activation with electrophiles are presented. The use of carb oxylic halides and anhydrides is shown to be generally successful for esterification reactions in a one-pot synthesis starting from the oxet anes O(CH2)(2)C(CH(2)PR(2))(2). Facial coordinaton of the related eate rs towards iron(II) and molybdenum(0) can be achieved depending on the nature of the phosphane donor groups. If methyliodide or trimethylsil ylchloride are used as electrophiles in order to functionalize the hyd roxy group in HOCH2C(CH(2)PR(2))(3), it is necessary to proctect the p hosphane groups by formation of the tris-borane adduct. All new compou nds have been fully characterized by the usual analytical techniques a s well as by X-ray analyses on selected examples.