Organotitanium Fluorides as Matrices for Trapping Molecular ZnF(2) and MeZnF

Area of Science:

• Inorganic Chemistry
• Organometallic Chemistry
• Solid-State Chemistry

Background:

• Transition metal fluorides are crucial in various chemical applications.
• The synthesis and structural characterization of novel coordination compounds are essential for advancing materials science.
• Methylzinc fluoride (MeZnF) has not been previously isolated as a molecular solid.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize novel adducts of titanium fluoride with zinc fluoride and methylzinc fluoride.
• To report the first isolation and structural determination of methylzinc fluoride within a coordination complex.
• To explore the reactivity of [Cp*TiF3] with organometallic zinc and tin precursors.

Main Methods:

• Reactions involving [Cp*TiF3] (Cp* = C5Me5) with ZnMe2 and Me3SnF in specific molar ratios.
• Isolation and purification of the resulting adducts.
• Single-crystal X-ray diffraction for structural determination of [(Cp*TiF3)8(ZnF2)3] (1).

Main Results:

• Two novel molecular solid adducts were successfully synthesized: [(Cp*TiF3)8(ZnF2)3] (1) and [(Cp*TiF3)4(MeZnF)2] (2).
• Compound 1 features a complex structure where ZnF2 is trapped as a molecular solid within the titanium fluoride framework.
• Compound 2 represents the first isolation of MeZnF as a molecular solid, coordinated to the titanium fluoride.
• The single-crystal structure of compound 1 was determined, revealing the arrangement of the metal fluoride components.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully synthesized and characterized two new transition metal fluoride adducts.
• The work reports the unprecedented isolation of methylzinc fluoride (MeZnF) as a molecular solid.
• These findings expand the understanding of coordination chemistry involving transition metal fluorides and organometallic compounds.