Trifluoromethyl-Substituted Bis(pyrazolyl)methanes as Ligands for Copper and Silver: Synthesis and Spectroscopic and Structural Characterization

New fluorinated bis(pyrazolyl)methanes with the general formula RCH(PzF)2 [R = H, PzF = 3-(trifluoromethyl)pyrazolyl, 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)pyrazolyl; R = Ph, PzF = 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)pyrazolyl] have been prepared, and their reactivity with copper and silver salts has been studied. Copper derivatives Cu[RCH(PzF)2](L)(OTf) [R = H, PzF = 3-(trifluoromethyl)pyrazolyl, 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)pyrazolyl; R = Ph, PzF = 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)pyrazolyl, L = CO, cyclooctene (coe); R = Ph, PzF = 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)pyrazolyl, L = coe, 4-vinylanisole (van), and triethylvinylsilane (tevs)] have been isolated by reacting Cu(OTf)(toluene)0.5 with the bis(pyrazolyl)methane ligand in the presence of olefin or CO. Some of them have been structurally characterized (R = H, PzF = 3-(trifluoromethyl)pyrazolyl, 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)pyrazolyl, L = CO). These compounds are monomeric and show strong interactions between copper and one oxygen atom of the triflate moiety. [Bis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)pyrazolyl]methyl]silver complexes have been prepared from AgBF4 and the ligand. The coe derivative [Ag{CH2(3,5-(CF3)2Pz)2}(coe)]BF4 has been obtained in good yields.