Structures and catalytic properties of complexes of bis(diphenylphino)methane dioxide with scandium and lanthanide trifluoromethane sulfonates

Complexes of scandium and lanthanide triflates with bis(diphenylphosphino)methane dioxide (Ph2P(O)CH2P(O)Ph-2=L) have been prepared and have the general formulae Sc(OTf)(3)L-3, La(OTt)(3)L(4)1.5H(2)O and Ln(OTf)(3)L(3)H(2)O3.5H(2)O. The structures show that the phosphine oxides act as bidentate chelates, and whilst triflate ions are not coordinated to the metals some hydrogen bond with the methylene protons in the ligand. The solution properties have been investigated using electrospray mass spectrometry and P-31 NMR spectroscopy. The catalytic acylation of anisole has been investigated for the ytterbium and scandium complexes with the latter showing no activity. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.