Ethers are L-type ligands. They are σ-donors that exert weak fieldligands. They resemble water ligands as seen in aquo complexes. They do not, however, readily participate in hydrogen bonding. The ether oxygen is nearly trigonal planar in its complexes.[4]
Being weakly basic, ether ligands tend to be easily displaceable. Otherwise, ether ligands are relatively unreactive. Cyclic ethers such as thf can ring-open or even deoxygenated when bound to highly electrophilic metal halides. Thus treatment of tungsten hexachloride with one equivalent of thf gives 1,4-dichlorobutane:[5]
Ethers are relatively bulky ligands, thus homoleptic (i.e., all ligands being the same) ether complexes are uncommon. Examples often feature weakly coordinating anions such as BArF4− and Al(ORF)4−.
Structure of NiI2(dme)2 as determined by X-ray crystallography. The sum of the angles at O is 352°, indicating a nearly planar ether oxygen. Color code: O = red, I = purple, Ni = blue, C = black.[10]Structure of FeCl3(diethylether)2.[11] Color code: Cl=green, Fe = blue, O = red.
Metal chloride-tetrahydrofuran complexes are especially studied.[12] These compounds are often reagents because they are soluble in organic solvents as well as being anhydrous.
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^ abSchubert, U.; Friedrich, P.; Orama, O. (1978). "Kristall- und molekülstruktur von pentacarbonyltetrahydrofuran-chrom(0)". Journal of Organometallic Chemistry. 144 (2): 175–179. doi:10.1016/S0022-328X(00)84160-1.
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^ abSobota, Piotr; Ejfler, Jolanta; Szafert, Sławomir; Szczegot, Krzysztof; Sawka-Dobrowolska, Wanda (1993). "New intermediates for the Synthesis of Olefin Polymerization Catalysts: The Complexes [M2(μ-Cl)2Cl4(THF)4] (M = Ti or V, THF = Tetrahydrofuran); Crystal Structures and Properties". Journal of the Chemical Society, Dalton Transactions (15): 2353–2357. doi:10.1039/dt9930002353.
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