Formation of an oxygen-centered Ba2Zn4 octahedron via hydrolysis of barium 1,3-dimethyl-2,4-bis[tri(tert-butyl)silyl]-1,3-dizinca-2,4-diphosphetane-2,4-diide

The reaction of (thf)4Ba[(MeZn)2(PSitBu3)2] (1) with water yields the cage compound bis[tris(THF)barium]dimethyltetrazinc tetrakis[tri(tert-butyl)silylphosphandiide] oxide, [(thf)3Ba]2Zn4(μ-Me)2(μ3-PSitBu3)4(μ6-O) (2). The hexa-coordinate oxygen atom is surrounded by four zinc atoms in a square planar fashion and by two barium atoms in a trans position. The methyl groups form three-center two-electron Ba–C–Zn bonds with Ba–C bond lengths of 307.7(5) pm. The metal atoms form a distorted octahedron with the tri(tert-butyl)silylphosphandiide ligands above BaZn2 faces.