Synthesis, Characterization, and X-ray Crystallography, of the First Cyclohexadienyl Trifluoromethyl Metal Complex (η5-C6H7)Fe(CO)2CF3

Fluorochemistry is a field of tremendous developments and advances in several areas of science including materials, pharmaceuticals and agriculture. This makes the design and synthesis of fluorine-containing substances highly desirable research targets. The sub-area of synthetic perfluorinated chemistry proportionately attracts widespread interest by applying to all areas of chemistry including organic and inorganic. Particularly, the latter is much underdeveloped as metal complexes with perfluoroalkyl moieties are scarce, with the vast majority of perfluorinated analogs, of long known, halo and alkylated derivatives never having been synthesized. Focusing on the chemistry of trifluoromethyl group, which is the most important in the class of perfluoroalkyls, we set out to explore the possibility of synthesizing and completely characterizing a cyclohexadienyl metal complex. Upon utilizing a number of trifluorometylating reagents, we only arrived at an efficient preparation by the use of Morrison's trifluormethylating reagent. As a result, the new, air- and moisture-sensitive complex (eta(5)-C6H7)Fe(CO)(2)CF3, was prepared in 71% yield, using a nucleophilic iodo-for-trifluoromethyl substitution, and was completely characterized including by X-ray crystallography.

Automated summary

Fluorochemistry is a rapidly advancing field with applications in materials, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture. Synthetic perfluorinated chemistry is particularly underdeveloped in the area of metal complexes, and this study focuses on the synthesis and characterization of a cyclohexadienyl metal complex containing a trifluoromethyl group. The use of Morrison's trifluormethylating reagent resulted in the successful synthesis of the complex, which was characterized using various techniques including X-ray crystallography.