Two New Benzoate‐di(methylcyclopentadienyl)ytterbium(III) Complexes: [Yb(MeCp)2(O2CC6F5)]2 and [Yb(MeCp)2(O2C‐o‐HC6F4)]2

Transparent orange crystals of [Yb(MeCp)₂(O₂CC₆F₅)]₂ and [Yb(MeCp)₂(O₂C‐o‐HC₆F₄)]₂ were obtained by oxidation of Yb(MeCp)₂ with M(O₂CR) (M = ¹/₂ Hg, Tl; R = C₆F₅, o‐HC₆F₄) in tetrahydrofuran. They have a dimeric structure with bridging bidentate (O, O')‐benzoate groups and eight coordinated ytterbium. Both crystallise isotypic in the orthorhombic space group Pbca. Room temperature as well as low temperature single crystal X‐ray investigations show the o‐H/F positions in [Yb(MeCp)₂(O₂C‐o‐HC₆F₄)]₂ not to be ordered.     

Organothallium compounds X the formation of polyfluorophenylthallium compounds by desulphination reactions

The acetatobis(polyfluorophenyl)thallium(III) compounds R₂TlO₂CCH₃ (R = C₆F₅, $\text{p}$-HC₆F₄, or $\text{m}$-HC₆F₄) have been prepared by sulphur dioxide elimination reactions from the appropriate lithium polyfluorobenzenesulphinates and thallic trifluoroacetate or acetate under mild conditions. Owing to reduction of the thallic salt by liberated sulphur dioxide, good yields required the stoichiometry 2LiO₂SR: 3TlX₃ (X = O₂CCF₃ or O₂CCH₃). The reactions are considered to proceed via thallium(III) $\text{S}$-sulphinate complexes and a possible mechanism is discussed.     

Decarboxylation syntheses of transition metal organometallics. III polyfluorophenylplatinum(II) complexes with nitrogen donor ligands

Summary The platinum(II) carboxylates,trans-Pt(O₂CR)₂(py)₂ and Pt(O₂CR)₂bpy (R=C₆F₅,p-HC₆F₄,m-HC₆F₄, oro-HC₆F₄; bpy=2,2-bipyridyl), have been prepared by reactions oftrans-Pt(OH)₂(py)₂ or Pt(OH)₂bpy with the appropriate polyfluorobenzoic acids, whilst [Pt(py)₄](O₂CC₆F₅)₂ has been obtained from reaction oftrans-PtCl₂(py)₂ with thallous pentafluorobenzoate in pyridine at room temperature. In boiling pyridine, the platinum(II) polyfluorobenzoates undergo either decarboxylation givingtrans-PtR₂(py)₂ and PtR₂bpy (R= C₆F₅,p-HC₆F₄, orm-HC₆F₄) complexes or substitution, giving [Pt(py)₄](O₂CC₆F₄H-o)₂ and [Ptbpy(py)₂](O₂CC₆F₄H-o)₂. Reactions oftrans-PtX₂(py)₂ and PtX₂bpy (X=Cl or Br) with appropriate thallous polyfluorobenzoates in boiling pyridine have yielded the complexestrans-PtR₂(py)₂, PtR₂bpy, PtCl(R)bpy (R=C₆F₅,p-HC₆F₄, orm-HC₆F₄ in each case),trans-PtCl(R)(py)₂ (R = C₆F₅ orm-HC₆F₄),trans-PtBr(C₆F₅)(py)₂, and PtBr(C₆F₅)bpy. The complexestrans-PtR₂(py)₂ (R=C₆F₅ orp-HC₆F₄) have also been prepared from potassium tetrachloroplatinate(II) and the appropriate thallous polyfluorobenzoate in boiling py, andtrans-Pt(C₆F₅)₂(py)₂ has been similarly obtained fromcis-PtCl₂(py)₂ and C₆F₅CO₂Tl. Significant decarboxylation was not observed on reaction oftrans-PtCl₂(py)₂ or PtCl₂bpy with thallous 2,3,4,5-tetrafluorobenzoate.Part II, ref. 4;Preliminary communication, ref. 3;     

Barium,Potassium, and Tris(ethane‐1,2‐diamine)nickel(II) Fluoroalkanedisulfonates and the X‐ray Crystal Structures of K2(O3S)2CHF,K2(O3S)2CF2, K2(O3S)2(CF2)3 · H2O,and [Nien3][(O3S)2(CF2)n] (n = 1, 3)

The barium perfluoroalkanedisulfonates Ba(O₃S)₂(CF₂)_n (n = 1, 3–5) and the new potassium fluoroalkanedisulfonates K₂(O₃S)₂CHF, K₂(O₃S)₂CF₂, and K₂(O₃S)₂(CF₂)₅ have been prepared by reaction of (CF₂)_n(SO₂F)₂ (n = 1, 3–5) or CHF(SO₂F)₂ with CaO (or Ca(OH)₂) and M(OH)_x (M = Ba, x = 2; M = K, x = 1) or with Ba(OH)₂ alone (n = 1) in water. In each of the crystal structures of K₂(O₃S)₂CHF and K₂(O₃S)₂CF₂, there is an eight‐coordinate and a six‐coordinate potassium ion, whilst in K₂(O₃S)₂(CF₂)₃H₂O, two different eight‐coordinate potassium ions are linked by a bridging water molecule. One potassium has additionally six sulfonate oxygen and one fluorine donor atoms, and the other, five sulfonate oxygens and two fluorine donor atoms. The preparation of highly crystalline [Nien₃][(O₃S)(CF₂)_n] (en = ethane‐1,2‐diamine; n = 1, 3–5) and the X‐ray crystal structures for n = 1 or 3 provide evidence for the value of perfluoroalkanedisulfonate ions as counter ions for the crystallization of cationic complexes.     

Crystal Structure of Di[(μ‐benzoato‐O,O′)bis(η5‐methylcylopentadienyl)ytterbium(III)]

Transparent orange‐red crystals of [Yb(MeCp)₂(O₂CPh)]₂ obtained by oxidation of Yb(MeCp)₂ with Tl(O₂CPh) in tetrahydrofuran have a dimeric structure with bridging bidentate (O,O′)‐benzoate groups and eight‐coordinate ytterbium.     

Reactivity of Lanthanoid Aryloxide Complexes: Isolation of a 1,2‐Dimethoxyethane Cleavage Product

[Yb(OAr)₂(μ‐OMe)(DME)]₂ ( 1 ) (OAr = 2,6‐di‐iso‐propylphenolate) was synthesised via a redox transmetallation ligand exchange reaction between ytterbium metal, diphenylmercury and 2,6‐di‐isopropylphenol in DME. The source of the methoxy groups is from cleavage of DME, and the C‐O bond activation is unexpected given that the reaction was undertaken at ambient temperature. Each Yb³⁺ metal ion in 1 is six coordinate, and the coordination arrangement around each metal ion is distorted trigonal antiprismatic with Yb‐O(OMe) bond lengths (2.191(2) and 2.258(2) Å) shorter than the Yb‐O(aryloxide) bond distances (2.094(2) and 2.074(2) Å).     

A laser-wire system for the international linear collider

A new laser-wire has been installed in the extraction line of the ATF at KEK. It aims at demonstrating that laser-wires can be used to measure micrometre scale beam size. In parallel, studies have been made to specify a laser suitable for the ILC laser-wires.