Reinvestigation of the reaction of strontium and barium with iodobenzene and molecular structure of the heavy Grignard reagent [((thf)2BaPh2)4 · (thf)BaO] with an oxygen-centered square Ba5 pyramid

Heavy Grignard reagents of strontium and barium are much more reactive than the derivatives of the lighter homologues. Ether cleavage reactions yield oxygen-centered cages such as the title compound [((thf)2BaPh2)4 · (thf)BaO], which is shown in the scheme.