Synthesis and structural characterization of bulky m-terphenyl benzyl alcohols and a tricoordinate zinc complex

The bulky m-terphenyl benzyl alcohols ArCH $_{2}$ OH (Ar=2,4,6-triphenylphenyl) 1 and Ar*CH $_{2}$ OH (Ar*= C $_{6}$ H $_{3}$ -2,6-Mes $_{2}$ , Mes=2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) 2 were synthesized via treatment of the corresponding aryllithium salt with DMF followed by NaBH $_{4}$ reduction. A zinc complex of 1 was prepared and contains a rather uncommon trigonal planar geometry for a zinc organometallic compound. All compounds were characterized spectroscopically and were studied by single crystal X-ray diffraction techniques.