Selective Synthesis of Dialkoxobis (acetylacetonato) zirconium from Tetrakis(acetylacetonato)zirconium

Abstract

Selective preparation of dialkoxobis (acetylacetonato) zirconium from tetrakis (acetylacetonato) zirconium, Zr (acac)₄, have been investigated.
In the presence of methan ol as an additive, Zr (acac)₄ reacted with 2 molar amounts of sodium methoxide in cyclohexane to afford selectively bis (acetylacetonato) zirconium dimethoxide, (acac)₂Zr (OMe)₂, in a high yield. However, in the reactions using benzene and tetrahydrofuran as a solven t, (acac)₂Zr (OMe)₂ and tris (acetylacetonato) zirconium monomethoxide were formed as the r eaction product. Similar products were also isolated in the reactions using crown ethers as an additive.
The ligand exchange reactions between (acac)₂Zr(OMe)₂ and short-chain alcohols (C₃ and C₄) were studied in benzene. The corresponding bis (acetylacetonato) zirconium dialkoxide, (acac)₂Zr(OR)₂, was produced from the reactions in high yield.