Prakash G K Surya, Wang Fang, Shao Nan, Mathew Thomas, Rasul Golam, Haiges Ralf, Stewart Timothy, Olah George A
Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute and Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, University Park, Los Angeles, CA-90089-1661, USA.
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2009;48(29):5358-62. doi: 10.1002/anie.200901414.
Fluoro power: In agreement with theoretical studies on alpha-fluorocarbanions an X-ray crystal structure shows the alpha-fluorobis(phenylsulfonyl)methide anion adopts a pyramidal configuration (see picture). High-level calculations and NMR spectroscopy studies demonstrate that electron-withdrawing substituents play a crucial role in modulating the properties of bis(phenylsulfonyl)methide anions.