The first lithium phenolate with a trinuclear structure and the tetranuclear product of 1 : 1 addition of lithium iodide; X-ray structures of [LiOAr]3 and [Li2(OAr)I]2[OAr = OC6H2(CH2NMe2)2-2,6-Me-4]

Abstract

Reaction of 2,6-bis[(dimethylamino)methyl]-4-methylphenol with n-butyllithium affords quantitatively [LiOAr]₃[OAr = OC₆H₂(CH₂NMe₂)₂-2,6-Me-4]1, which has an unprecedented trinuclear structure both in solution (cryoscopy in C₆H₆) and in the solid state (X-ray); 1 reacts selectively with Lil to form the adduct [Li₂(OAr)l]₂2 which has a tetranuclear structure (X-ray).