Search

Abstract: Using two different reaction methodologies, two alkali metal–magnesium alkyl bis(amide) complexes were synthesised. First the lithium magnesiate LiMg{μ-N(SiMe3)2}2( t Bu) (1) was prepared by combining equimolar quantities of t BuLi and Mg{N(SiMe3)2}2 in hydrocarbon solvent. An X-ray crystallographic study revealed that the asymmetric unit of 1 has a dinuclear arrangement, based on a planar Li–N–Mg–N four-membered ring. As a result of the presence of intermolecular agostic interactions between the Li centre of one asymmetric unit and a methyl group which is resident on the terminal tert-butyl group of another, 1 is polymeric in the solid-state. Second the sodium magnesiate NaMg{μ-N(SiMe3)2}2( t Bu)·(OEt2) (2) was prepared by reacting two molar equivalents of Na{N(SiMe3)2} with one molar equivalent of t BuMgCl in hydrocarbon/diethyl ether solution. X-ray crystallographic analysis revealed that the asymmetric unit of 2 consisted of a dinuclear molecular arrangement. As expected it is not polymeric due to the coordination of the Lewis basic ether. Stabilizing intramolecular agostic Na⋯C bonds are observed (where C is a methyl group resident on a Si atom). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Subjecting ferrocene, ruthenocene, or osmocene to the synergic amide base sodium-magnesium tris(diisopropylamido) affords a unique homologous series of metallocene derivatives of general formula [{M(C5H3)2}Na4Mg4(i-Pr2N)8] (where M = Fe (1), Ru (2), or Os (3)). X-ray crystallographic studies of 1 - 3 reveal a common molecular "inverse crown" structure comprising a 16-membered [(NaNMgN)4]4+ "host" ring and a metallocenetetraide [M(C5H3)2]4- "guest" core, the cleaved protons of which are lost selectively from the 1, 1', 3, and 3'-positions. Variable-temperature NMR spectroscopic studies indicate that 1, 2, and 3 each exist as two distinct interconverting conformers in arene solution, the rates of exchange of which have been calculated using coalescence and EXSV NMR measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]