Synthesis,structure and characterization of [Mg7(μ3-OCH2CH2OMe)6(μ-OCH2CH2OMe)6][Al(n-Bu)4]2 – A cationic heptanuclear magnesium complex consisting of discrete cations and tetrabutylaluminate anions

Dibutylmagnesium (contaminated with Al(n-Bu)₃; n_Mg:n_Al ca. 1:0.2) was found to react with MeOCH₂CH₂OH followed by the addition of PhSCH(Me)Ph in the presence of 0.2 equiv n-butyllithium yielding [Mg₇(μ₃-OCH₂CH₂OMe)₆(μ-OCH₂CH₂OMe)₆][Al(n-Bu)₄]₂ (1) as the principal product (yield 40–45% referred to MeOCH₂CH₂OH). The single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the centrosymmetric cationic heptamagnesium complex is built up from seven edge-shared MgO₆ octahedra. The [Al(n-Bu)₄]⁻ anions adopt approximately a tetrahedral AlC₄ symmetry. ¹H, ¹³C and ²⁷Al NMR spectroscopic measurements showed that in THF solution the structures both of the heptamagnesium complex and the tetrabutylaluminate anion are preserved and that there are no cation–anion interactions reducing the symmetry. The ²⁷Al resonance (151.6 ppm) was found to be very sharp (w_1/2 = 5 Hz), the coupling constant ¹J(²⁷Al,¹³C) amounts to 72.3 Hz.     

Syntheses and structures of lithiated sulfones Li[CR(R′)SO2Ph] - C versus O bound lithium. [{Li{CH(Me)SO2Ph}(thf)}∞] - The structure of a C-bound derivative

Sulfones RCH(R′)SO₂Ph were reacted with n-BuLi in thf/n-hexane (R/R′ = H/Me, Me/Et, H/CH₂Ph) and toluene/n-hexane (R/R′ = Me/Ph) yielding under deprotonation Li[CR(R′)SO₂Ph] which reacted with Me₃SiCl and n-Bu₃SnCl forming the requisite trimethylsilyl and tri(n-butyl)tin substituted derivatives . Performing the reactions of RCH(R′)SO₂Ph with n-BuLi in n-hexane (instead of thf/n-hexane) and toluene/n-hexane, respectively, resulted in the precipitation of the organo lithium compounds Li[CR(R′)SO₂Ph] (1-4) which were isolated as strongly moisture-sensitive yellow powders in essentially quantitative yields. Their identities were confirmed by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopic measurements in thf-d₈. Solutions of each 1, 3, and 4 in thf/n-hexane and thf/n-pentane afforded crystals of each [{Li{CH(Me)SO₂Ph}(thf)}_∞] (1a), [{Li{CH(CH₂Ph)SO₂Ph}(thf)}_∞] (3a), and [{Li{CMe(Ph)SO₂Ph}(thf)₂}₂] (4a), respectively, whose structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. The compounds 1a and 3a crystallize in 1D polymeric ladder-like structures. The strands of 1a are built-up by eight-membered Li₂C₂S₂O₂ rings having direct Li-C bonding interactions (Li-C 2.215(5) Å). The donor set of Li is completed by three oxygen atoms, one from the thf ligand and two from SO₂ groups of neighboring Li{CH(Me)SO₂Ph}(thf) entities. The strands of 3a are built-up of alternating Li₂S₂O₄ eight- and Li₂O₂ four-membered rings. Each lithium atom is coordinated to three oxygen atoms, two from O₂S(Ph)CHCH₂Ph groups and one from thf oxygen atom. There is no Li-C bonding. Compound 4a crystallizes in dimers consisting of eight-membered Li₂S₂O₄ rings in which the two lithium atoms are bridged by two O₂S(Ph)CHMePh groups. The coordination sphere of lithium is completed by two oxygen atoms of the thf ligands.     

Pseudo-steady-state solutions for solidification in a wedge

Polubarinova-Kochina's analytical differential equation methodis used to determine the pseudo-steady-state solution to problemsinvolving the freezing (solidification) of wedges of liquidwhich are initially at their fusion temperature. In particular,we consider four distinct problems for wedges which are: freezingwith the same constant boundary temperature, freezing with thesame constant boundary heat fluxes, freezing with distinct constantboundary temperatures and freezing with distinct constant fluxesat the boundaries. For the last two problems, a Heun's differentialequation with an unknown singularity is derived, which in bothcases admits a particularly elegant simple solution for thespecial case when the wedge angle is . The moving boundariesobtained are shown pictorially.     

[{LiCH(CH2CH2OMen)SO2Ph}4] (OMen = Menthyl): Synthesis and First Structure of a Chiral Solvent Free Lithiated Sulfone with a Direct Li–C Bond

R*OCH₂CH₂CH₂SO₂Ph (R*OH = MenOH, (–)‐menthol, ( 3a ); BorOH, (1S)‐(–)‐borneol, ( 3b )) were found to react with n‐BuLi in n‐pentane/n‐hexane and toluene/n‐hexane under deprotonation yielding LiCH(CH₂CH₂OR*)SO₂Ph (R* = Men, ( 4a ); Bor, ( 4b )) which reacted with n‐Bu₃SnCl forming the requisite tri(n‐butyl)tin compounds n‐Bu₃SnCH(CH₂CH₂OR*)SO₂Ph (R* = Men, ( 5a ); Bor, ( 5b )) as diastereomeric mixtures. The identities of 5a and 5b were unambiguously proved by ¹H, ¹³C and ¹¹⁹Sn NMR spectroscopic measurements. Solutions of 4a afforded crystals of [{LiCH(CH₂CH₂OMen)SO₂Ph}₄] ( 4a′ ) for which the structure was determined by single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography. Complex 4a′ crystallized in a tetrameric structure without any additional solvent molecules. There were found direct Li–C bonds (Li1–C1/Li2–C20 2.231(9)/2.236(9) Å). The tetrahedral donor set of Li is completed by three oxygen atoms. One oxygen atom comes from the OMen substituent via intramolecular coordination and two oxygen atoms come from SO₂ groups of neighboured LiCH(CH₂CH₂OMen)SO₂Ph moieties. Thus, a heterocubane structure with a Li₄S₄ core is built up.     

Lithiated γ-O-functionalized propyl phenyl sulfides and sulfones of the type Li[CH(SOxPh)CH2CH2OR] (x = 0, 2). [Li{CH(SPh)CH2CH2Ot-Bu}(tmeda)] – A structurally characterized organolithium inner complex

Lithiation of O-functionalized alkyl phenyl sulfides PhSCH₂CH₂CH₂OR (R = Me, 1a; i-Pr, 1b; t-Bu, 1c; CPh₃, 1d) with n-BuLi/tmeda in n-pentane resulted in the formation of α- and ortho-lithiated compounds [Li{CH(SPh)CH₂CH₂OR}(tmeda)] (α-2a–d) and [Li{o-C₆H₄SCH₂CH₂CH₂OR)(tmeda)] (o-2a–d), respectively, which has been proved by subsequent reaction with n-Bu₃SnCl yielding the requisite stannylated γ-OR-functionalized propyl phenyl sulfides n-Bu₃SnCH(SPh)CH₂CH₂OR (α-3a–d) and n-Bu₃Sn(o-C₆H₄SCH₂CH₂CH₂OR) (o-3a–d). The α/ortho ratios were found to be dependent on the sterical demand of the substituent R. Stannylated alkyl phenyl sulfides α-3a–c were found to react with n-BuLi/tmeda and n-BuLi yielding the pure α-lithiated compounds α-2a–c and [Li{CH(SPh)CH₂CH₂OR}] (α-4a–b), respectively, as white to yellowish powders. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of [Li{CH(SPh)CH₂CH₂Ot-Bu}(tmeda)] (α-2c) exhibited a distorted tetrahedral coordination of lithium having a chelating tmeda ligand and a C,O coordinated organyl ligand. Thus, α-2c is a typical organolithium inner complex.Lithiation of O-functionalized alkyl phenyl sulfones PhSO₂CH₂CH₂CH₂OR (R = Me, 5a; i-Pr, 5b; CPh₃, 5c) with n-BuLi resulted in the exclusive formation of the α-lithiated products Li[CH(SO₂Ph)CH₂CH₂OR] (6a–c) that were found to react with n-Bu₃SnCl yielding the requisite α-stannylated compounds n-Bu₃SnCH(SO₂Ph)CH₂CH₂OR (7a–c). The identities of all lithium and tin compounds have been unambiguously proved by NMR spectroscopy (¹H, ¹³C, ¹¹⁹Sn).