ISOLATION AND STRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION OF TETRAHETEROMETALLIC AND PENTAHETEROMETALLIC NEODYMIUM 4-METHYLPHENOXIDE COMPLEXES

The compatibility of the special bridging abilities of the 4-methylphe noxide ligand, OC6H4Me-4, and alkylaluminum reagents have been examine d. NdCl3 reacts with KOC6H4Me-4 in THF to form K3Nd2 (mu-OC6H4Me-4)(6) (mu(4)-OC6H4Me-4)(3)(THF)(7), 1, which has a trigonal bipyramidal arra ngement of metal atoms with neodymium in the apical sites. Six doubly- bridging aryloxide ligands connect each apical metal to an equatorial metal and three quadruply-bridging aryloxide ligands connect the apica l metals with two equatorial sites. Two potassium atoms have two termi nal THF ligands and the other metals each have one terminal THF. A sus pension of 1 in hexanes reacts with Al2Me6 to produce colorless crysta ls of [Me2Al(OC6H4Me-4)](n) and blue crystals which have been crystall ographically characterized as Nd[mu OC6H4Me-4)(2)AlMe2](3), 2. The neo dymium atom in 2 is surrounded by an octahedron of bridging aryloxide ligands and each aluminum is tetrahedral. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Lt d.