Publication

Abstract : The reaction of (NHC)ZnEt2 (1) with 2,6-diisopropylphenol in the molar ratio 1:2 at room temperature resulted in the formation of NHC-stabilized monomeric tricoordinated zinc aryloxide (2), whereas the reaction of (NHC)ZnEt2 (1) with 2,4,6-trimethylphenol either in the presence of moisture or with deliberate addition of an equivalent amount of water in the molar ratio 1:2:1 afforded an unprecedented zinc hydroxyaryloxide (3). In this contribution we describe the syntheses and the structural characterization of 2 and 3 as well as the importance of the sterically encumbered phenols in the isolation of the final products.