Functionalized tripod ligands / Mixed donor set ligands / Solubilized tripod ligands / Molybdenum / Iron / Neopentane-derived tripod ligands of the general type electrophiles will produce the corresponding ether derivatives ROCH 2 C(CH 2 PPh 2 )(CH 2 Z) 2 (3). Mesylation of 2 HOCH 2 C(CH 2 PPh 2 )(CH 2 Y)(CH 2 Z) (1; Y, Z = PPh 2 , SR) are notoriously resistant to ether formation at their hydroxy leads to MeSO 2 OCH 2 C(CH 2 PPh 2 )3•Mo(CO) 3 (4), which reacts with alkoxides to produce 3 in a sequence of reversed group. Two routes have been found, which allow the transformation of 1 into ether functionalized tripod ligands polarity. Ligands 5 [ROCH 2 C(CH 2 PPh 2 ) 3 ] are liberated from 3 by UV irridation of their solutions in the presence of ROCH 2 C(CH 2 PPh 2
One of these strategies relies upon the η 3 coordination pyridine N-oxide. Direct etherification of 1 is also possible in some cases after deprotonation of 1 by KOtBu and of 1 in 1•Mo(CO) 3 (2). By this way the donor groups are efficiently protected and the steric encumbrance of the subsequent reaction with an electrophile RX in the narrow temperature range between -10 and +20 °C. By this way, ω-CH 2 OH group at the backbone of the ligands is greatly reduced by fixing three arms of the neopentane scaffolding methyl polyglycol ether functions are easily introduced resulting in H 3 C(OC 2 H 4 ) n OCH 2 C(CH 2 PPh 2 ) 3 (5g, h). to the metal center. After deprotonation, reaction with