Synthesis, Structure, and Reactivity of a Terminal Organozinc Fluoride Compound: Hydrogen Bonding, Halogen Bonding, and Donor–Acceptor Interactions

[Tris­(2-pyridylthio)­methyl]­zinc
fluoride, [κ4-Tptm]­ZnF,
the first example of an organozinc compound that features a terminal
fluoride ligand, may be obtained by the reactions of either [Tptm]­ZnX
(X = H, OSiMe3) with Me3SnF or [κ4-Tptm]­ZnI with [Bun4N]­F. Not only is
the fluoride ligand of [κ4-Tptm]­ZnF susceptible to
coordination by B­(C6F5)3 to give
the adduct [κ4-Tptm]­ZnFB­(C6F5)3, but it is also an effective hydrogen bond and halogen
bond acceptor. For example, X-ray diffraction studies demonstrate
that [κ4-Tptm]­ZnF forms an adduct with water in which
hydrogen bonding between the fluoride ligands and water molecules
serves to link pairs of [κ4-Tptm]­ZnF molecules with
a [F···(H-O-H)2···F] motif.
Furthermore, 1H and 19F NMR spectroscopic studies
provide evidence for hydrogen bonding and halogen bonding interactions
with indole and C6F5I, respectively.