Synthesis of Sterically Demanding Bis(phosphinimine) Dibenzofuran Ligands and Subsequent Zinc Metalation*

In light of previous success surrounding the use of bis(phosphinimine)dibenzofuran ligands for zinc-mediated lactide polymerization, a series of sterically demanding P=N pincer compounds have been prepared with important steric and electronic modifications at both P- and N-sites (L, 3a–d). These systems are highly crystalline and have been extensively characterized using multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and X-ray diffraction. The ligands can be transformed into their protonated analogues [HL][BArF4] (4a–d, [BArF4] = [B(m-(CF3)2-C6H3)4]) by reaction with Brookhart’s acid, and subsequently coordinated to zinc via an alkane elimination reaction with [ZnEt2] at ambient temperature to afford the corresponding [LZnEt][BArF4] cationic complexes 5a–d. In addition, an unusual chloridozinc species [LZnCl][BArF4] (5c') has been isolated and structurally characterized, providing comparisons to previously established ligand sets with similar geometries.