Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026

1,3,5-Triphenylbenzene and Corannulene as Electron Receptors for Lithium Solvated Electron Solutions
Published on: October 10, 2016
Synthesis and structural characterisation of lithium and sodium 2,6-dibenzylphenolate complexes
Marcus L Cole1, Peter C Junk, Kathryn M Proctor
1School of Chemistry, Monash University, Victoria, 3800, Australia.
Abstract:
The stoichiometric treatment of 2,6-dibenzylphenol (HOdbp) or 2,2"-dimethoxy-2,6-dibenzylphenol (HOdbpOMe) with n-butyllithium or sodium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide (the latter as a solution in THF) in Et2O or DME affords the dimeric alkali metal phenolates [{M(Odbp)(L)}2] (M = Li; L = Et2O (1), L = DME (2), M = Na; L = Et2O (5), L = DME (6)), [{Li(OdbpOMe)}2] (3) and [{M(OdbpOMe)(L)}2] (M = Li; L = DME (4), M = Na; L = THF (7), L = DME (8)). Complexes 3 and 7 exhibit -OdbpOMe methoxy coordination and all four sodium complexes (5-8) display pi-aryl contacts from one phenolate radial arm to each sodium centre. The attempted synthesis of {Na(odbp)}n by direct sodiation of HOdbp yields a small quantity of the 2-benzylphenolate [{Na(Ombp)(DME)}4] (9) (-Ombp = -OC6H4-2-CH2Ph), providing a rare example of benzyl C-C bond scission.
Related Concept Videos
Valence Bond Theory
Coordination Compounds and Nomenclature
Preparation and Reactions of Sulfides
Structure of Benzene: Kekulé Model
He proposed that benzene has a cyclic structure of six carbon atoms attached to one hydrogen atom each, with three alternating pi bonds.
Ionic Bonding and Electron Transfer
Crystal Field Theory - Tetrahedral and Square Planar Complexes
Crystal field theory (CFT) is applicable to molecules in geometries other than octahedral. In octahedral complexes, the lobes of the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals point directly at the ligands. For tetrahedral complexes, the d orbitals remain in place, but with only four ligands located between the axes. None of the orbitals points directly at the tetrahedral ligands. However, the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals (along the Cartesian axes) overlap with the ligands less than the dxy,...

