Taming the Lewis Superacid Al(ORF) (RF=C(CF ) ): DFT Guided Identification of the "Stable yet Reactive" Adduct SiPr →Al(ORF) ; Its Use as ORF- Abstractor from a "Ni-ORF" complex.

A DFT study of several L→Al(OR ) (L=Lewis bases) adducts allowed the identification of ( Pr S)→Al(OR ) 1-S Pr as a "stable yet reactive" adduct. 1-S Pr was shown to act as a masked Lewis superacid able to release Al(OR ) under mild conditions. It could be used to abstract a OR ligand from (bipyMe )Ni(OR ) (bipyMe  : 6,6'-dimethyl-2,2'-dipyridyl) and generate the nickel alkoxide complex [(bipyMe )Ni(OR )( Pr S)] [(R O) Al-F-Al(OR ) ] 5. Ligand exchange of Pr S by Ph P yielded [(bipyMe )Ni(OR )(PPh )] [(R O) Al-F-Al(OR ) ] 6.