Synthesis and coordination chemistry of perfluoroalkyl-derivatised β-diketonates

A series of fluorinated β-diketones, RfC(O)CH2C(O)Rf′ (Rf=C6F13, Rf′=CF3; Rf=Rf′=C6F13, C7F15), have been prepared in reasonable yields by a two-step synthesis. On reaction with appropriate metal substrates, deprotonation and concurrent coordination of the perfluoroalkyl-derivatised β-diketonate ligands affords a range of fluorous metal complexes which have been characterised by elemental analysis, mass spectrometry, IR and NMR spectroscopies. The structures of [Cu(L–L)2(H2O)2] {L–L=CF3C(O)CHC(O)C6F13, C6F13C(O)CHC(O)C6F13} and [Cu(PPh3)2{C7F15C(O)CHC(O)C7F15}] have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.