Taming the Lewis Superacid Al(ORF)3 (RF=C(CF3)3): DFT Guided Identification of the "Stable yet Reactive" Adduct SiPr2→Al(ORF)3; Its Use as ORF- Abstractor from a "Ni-ORF" complex.

A DFT study of several L→Al(OR^F)₃ (L=Lewis bases) adducts allowed the identification of (ⁱPr₂S)→Al(OR^F)₃ 1-SⁱPr₂ as a "stable yet reactive" adduct. 1-SⁱPr₂ was shown to act as a masked Lewis superacid able to release Al(OR^F)₃ under mild conditions. It could be used to abstract a ORF^- ligand from bipyMe₂)Ni(OR^F)₂ (bipyMe₂ : 6,6'-dimethyl-2,2'-dipyridyl) and generate the nickel alkoxide complex [(bipyMe₂)Ni-(OR^F)(ⁱPr₂S)]⁺[(R^FO)₃Al--F--Al(OR^F)₃]^- 5. Ligand exchange of ⁱPr₂S by Ph₃P yielded [(bipyMe₂)Ni(OR^F)(PPh₃)]+[(R^FO)₃Al--F--Al-(OR^F)₃]^-6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]