Tetraphenoxoborate complexes of barium: crystal structures of the metalloborates [Ba(thf)4{B(OPh)4}2] and [Ba(dme)2{B(OPh)4}2]†

Abstract

The new molecular phenoxides [BaB₂(OPh)₈(thf)₄] 1 and [BaB₂(OPh)₈(dme)₂] 2 have been synthesised from B(OPh)₃ and either a preformed barium phenoxide or barium mental in the presence of phenol; X-ray structure determinations reveal that the barium is eight-coordinate in both compounds and that the chelating [B(OPh)₄]^– groups occupy trans positions in 1 but cis positions in 2.