Tricyclohexylphosphine derivatives of bis(2,6-difluorophenoxide)cadmium: A solution and solid-state NMR study

The synthesis of Cd(O-2,6-F2C6H3)(2)(PCy3)(2) has been achieved by the reaction of Cd[N(SiMe3)(2)](2) and 2,6-difluorophenol in THF in the presence of 2 equiv of tricyclohexylphosphine, and its distorted tetrahedral structure has been established by X-ray crystallography. Comparison of the solution and solid-state Cd-113 NMR spectra of this derivative suggest that a facile solution equilibrium exists between it and its dimeric monophosphine analogue and free PCy3. At ambient temperature, the equilibrium lies strongly in favor of the dimeric complexes, whereas at -80 degreesC, the monomeric complex is dominant. <Graphics>