Synthesis and Characterization of A Polynuclear Yttrium Trifluoroethoxide and Its Activity for Oligomerization of Phenyl Isocyanate

A polynuclear yttrium trifluoroethoxide was synthesized and its activity for the oligomerization of phenyl isocyanate was tested. Reaction of anhydrous YCl3 with CF3CH2ONa in a 1:3 molar ratio in THF at room temperature, after workup, gave complex 1 as colorless crystals. The composition of complex 1 is [Y (OCH2CF3)3]6ONa2(THF)12, which was identified by elemental analysis and 1H NMR. Further X-ray structure determination reveals that complex 1 is a poly-nuclear ion pair compound, [Y6(μ6-O) (OCH2CF3)18]2− [Na(THF)6]2+ (1). The crystal data of complex 1 are trigonal, P-3 space group, a = 1.78440(14) nm, b = 1.78440(14) nm, c = 1.27395 (12) nm, γ = 120°, V = 3.5129(5) nm3, Z = 1, Dc = 1.607 mg·m−3, μ = 2.591 mm−1(Mo Kα), F(000) = 1710, R = 0.067, wR = 0.182. Preliminary results demonstrated that complex 1 is a highly effective catalyst for the oligomerization of phenyl isocyanate.