A HETEROMETALLIC ALKOXIDE COMBINING HARD AND SOFT LEWIS-ACIDS (ET3PO)(2)BA2CU4(O(T)BU)(8)

Reaction of copper(I) mesityl with [Ba((OBu)-Bu-t)(2)((BuOH)-Bu-t)(2)] (4) occurs with 'replacement' of all protons by copper to give an inso luble solid of empirical formula BaCu2(OtBu)(4). This reacts with Et3P O to give a soluble product characterized by spectroscopic, combustion analytical, and X-ray diffraction as (Et3PO)(2)Ba2Cu4((OBu)-Bu-t)(8), an elongated octahedron (trans Ba-2) with (OBu)-Bu-t groups doubly br idging eight edges. The phosphine oxide has broken up an apparent poly mer by coordination of one Et3PO to each barium. (C) 1997 Elsevier Sci ence S.A.