Formation of a samarium alkoxide-aryloxide complex containing a novel butterfly framework:: X-ray crystal structures of Sm4(μ3-O-i-Pr)3(μ2-O-i-Pr)4(O-i-Pr)2 (O-2,6-i-Pr2C6H3)3(THF) and [Ti(O-i-Pr)2(O-2,6-i-Pr2C6H3) (μ-O-i-Pr)]2

Reaction of a 1:1 mixture of Sm[N(SiMe3)(2)](3) and Ti(O-i-Pr)(4) with three equivalents of 2,6-di-iso-propylphenol, followed by crystallization from hexane/THF, leads to isolation of the tetranuclear samarium alkoxide Sm-4(mu(3)-O-i-Pr)(3)(mu(2)-O-i-Pr)(4)(O-i-Pr)(2)(O-2,6-i-Pr2C6H3)(3) (THF) (1), in addition to the dimeric titanium alkoxide [Ti(O-i-Pr)(2)(O-2,6-i-Pr2C6H3)(mu-O-i-Pr)](2) (2). 1 crystallizes in the space group P (1) over bar while 2 crystallizes in space group P2(1)/c Cell parameters for 1: a = 15.928(6) b = 17.677(7), c = 18.99(1) Angstrom, alpha = 113.24(3), beta = 94.99(4), gamma = 109.59(2)degrees, V = 4477(4) Angstrom(3), D-calc = 1.350 Mg/m(3), and Z = 2. Cell parameters for 2: a = 25.336(2), b = 12.082(1), c = 15.570(2) Angstrom, beta = 96.510(8)degrees, V = 4735.4(8) Angstrom 3, D-calc = 1.129 mg/m(3), and Z = 4.