Coordination chemistry of 2,6-bis(diphenylphosphorylmethyl)-4-methylphenol

The trifunctional ligand, 2,6-bis(diphenylphosphorylmethyl)-4-methylphenol (L ₂), forms complexes with cerium(III) nitrate having a ligand to metal ratio of 1: 1, 2: 1, and 3: 1. The structures of these complexes in the solid state and in solution were studied by X-ray diffraction, IR and NMR (¹H and ³¹P) spectroscopy, and conformational analysis (molecular mechanics). The 2: 1 complexes of L ₂ with lanthanum(III) and neodymium(III) nitrates were synthesized and characterized. In all complexes, the neutral ligand is coordinated through both phosphoryl oxygen atoms. The hydroxy oxygen atom is coordinated only in some complexes, and the hydrogen atom of the hydroxy group is involved in hydrogen bonding. The compositions and structures of the resulting complexes depend on the method of synthesis and the nature of solvent. The ligand was found to undergo easy inner-sphere oxidation. The structure of one of the transformation products was established by X-ray diffraction. Unlike the coordinated ligand, the free ligand is very stable to oxidation. Dedicated to Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences T. A. Mastryukova. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 11, pp. 2440–2454, November, 2005.