Molecular fluorinated alumoxanes: One step towards well-defined fluorinated alumina

The unprecedented molecular alumoxane [{LAl(F)}2(μ-O)] (2) is easily accessible from the reaction between [{LAl(H)}2(μ-O)] (1) and the mild fluorinating agent Me3SnF. Furthermore, the controlled hydrolysis of 2 led to the preparation of the binuclear aluminum hydroxyfluoride [{LAl(F)(μ-OH)}2] (3) in a straightforward manner. The compounds were characterized by spectroscopic techniques (IR, EI–MS, solid state MAS NMR (13C and 27Al), solution NMR (1H, 13C, 19F and 27Al)) and in the case of 3, through X-ray diffraction studies. Compound 3 represents the first example of a molecular aluminum hydroxyfluoride fully structurally characterized.