A Well-Defined Aluminum-Based Lewis Acid as an Effective Catalyst for Diels-Alder Transformations.

A catalytically active aluminum-based system for Diels-Alder transformations is reported. The system was generated by mixing a β-diketiminate-stabilized aluminum bistriflate compound with Na[BArCl4] (ArCl=3,5-Cl2C6H3). Solid-state analysis of the catalytic system reveals a unique structure incorporating a two-dimensional coordination polymer. According to the experimental results obtained from several Diels-Alder transformations, the aluminum-based system appears to be a more practical and more robust alternative to the recently reported compounds based on carbon and silicon cations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]