Synthesis, structure, and lanthanide derivatives of an unusual hexameric alcohol:: [2,4,6-(CF3)3C6H2CH2OH]6

Hitherto unknown 2,4,6-tris(trifluoromethyl)benzyl alcohol (3) was synthesized in 41% yield by treatment of freshly prepared RFLi (2) with paraformaldehyde (R-F = 2,4,6-tris(trifluoromethyl)phenyl). According to an X-ray diffraction study the crystal structure of 3 consists of S-6 symmetric cyclic hexamers [2,4,6-(CF3)(3)C6H2CH2OH](6). Deprotonation of 3 with NaN(SiMe3)(2) in toluene afforded the unsolvated sodium alkoxide derivative RFCH2ONa (4). Homoleptic lanthanide alkoxides of the type Ln(OCH2RF)(3) (Ln = Nd (5), Sin (6), Yb (7)) were made by treatment of Ln(C5H5)(3) With three equivalents of 3. Similar reactions in a 1:1 molar ratio afforded the bis(cyclopentadienyl)lanthanide alkoxide derivatives (C5H5)(2)Ln(OCH2RF) (Ln = Nd (8) Sm (9) Yb (10)).