A 1-1 COMPLEX OF SILVER WITH A COFACIAL STILBENE - ((Z)-2,2,5,5-TETRAMETHYL-3,4-DIPHENYLHEX-3-ENE)SILVER(I) TRIFLATE

Sterically congested stilbene, (Z)-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-3,4-diphenylhex-3-ene (1) was recently shown to possess face-to-face or cofacial benzene rings.1,2 The π-electron-rich cleft in this simple molecule, Scheme I, offers an interesting site for complexation. The exterior faces of the rings in 1, in contrast to related cofacial hydrocarbons,3 were thought to be unlikely complexation sites due to the proximity of the large tert-butyl groups. Similarly, stereoisomer 2 would not be expected to form complexes. Finally, steric hindrance should prevent complexation of 1 and 2 at the normally preferred site of interaction, the central double bond. As a validation of these concepts, the preparation and characterization of the first metal complex of this system, the silver trifluoromethane-sulfonate (silver triflate, AgOTf) complex, is described below. © 1990, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.