Formation of Calcium–Carbon Bonds From a Lewis Acid-Base Reaction of Calcium Bis[bis(trimethylsilyl)amide] and Tris(trimethylsilylmethyl)alane

Highly Electrophilic Mononuclear Cationic Aluminium Alkoxide Complexes: Syntheses, Reactivity and Catalytic Applications

Herein, we report the synthesis of β-diketiminate-supported aluminium complexes bearing terminal alkoxide and mono-thiol functional groups: LAlOMe(Et) (2), LAlOtBu(Et) (3), and LAlSH(Et) (4), (L=[HC{C(Me)N-(2,6-iPr2 C6 H3 )}2 ]). Complexes 2 and 3 are further used as synthons to generate the fascinating cationic aluminium alkoxide complexes, [LAlOMe(μ-OMe)-Al(Et)L][EtB(C6 F5 )3 ] (5), [LAlOMe(OEt2 )][EtB(C6 F5 )3 ] (6), and [LAlOtBu(OEt2 )][EtB(C6 F5 )3 ] (8). These electrophilic cationic species are well characterized by spectroscopic and crystallographic techniques. The assessment of Lewis acidity by the Gutmann-Beckett method revealed superior Lewis acidity of the cations substituted with electron-demanding alkoxy groups in comparison to the known methyl analogue [LAlMe][B(C6 F5 )4 ]. This has been further endorsed by computational calculations to determine the NBO charges and hydride ion affinity for complexes 6 and 8. These complexes are also capable of activating triethylsilane in stoichiometric reactions. The applicability of these complexes has been realized in the hydrosilylation of ethers, carbonyls, and olefines. Additionally, the solid-state structure of a new THF stabilized aluminium halide cation [LAlCl(THF)][B(C6 F5 )4 ] (11) has also been reported.

Unusual room temperature activation of 1,2-dialkoxyalkanes by niobium and tantalum pentachlorides

The outcome of the reactions of MCl(5) (M = Nb, 1a; M = Ta, 1b) with 1,2-dialkoxyalkanes [i.e. MeO(CH(2))(2)OMe (dme), EtO(CH(2))(2)OEt, MeOCH(2)CH(Me)OMe, MeO(CH(2))(2)OCH(2)Cl, MeO(CH(2))(2)O(CH(2))(2)OMe (diglyme)] depends strictly on the stoichiometry. In the 1 : 1 molar ratio reactions, single C-O bond cleavage occurs, resulting in formation of alkyl chloride and of the complexes [upper bond 1 start]MCl(4)[O(R)CH(R')CH(2)O][upper bond 1 end] [M = Nb, R = Me, R' = H, 3a; M = Ta, R = Me, R' = H, 3b; M = Nb, R = Et, R' = H, 5; M = Nb, R = R' = Me, 6; M = Nb, R = CH(2)Cl, R' = H, 7; M = Nb, R = (CH(2))(2)O(Me)NbCl(5), R' = H, 8], which have been characterized spectroscopically. Moreover, minor amounts of the oxo-bridged adducts MOCl(3)(dme)MCl(5) (M = Nb, 4a; M = Ta, 4b) have been isolated in the reactions involving dme. On the other hand, compounds react with two (or more) equivalents of dme mainly via a multiple C-O bond cleavage process, affording MOCl(3)(dme) (M = Nb, 2a; M = Ta, 2b), 1,4-dioxane and methyl chloride. The oxychloride compounds MOCl(3) (M = Nb, 11a; M = Ta, 11b) have been efficiently obtained by addition of TiCl(4) to 2. Compound 2a is reduced in high yield to the Nb(III) species NbCl(3)(dme), 12, upon treatment with SnBu(3)H. The oxychloride NbOCl(3)(diglyme), 9, 1,4-dioxane, CH(3)Cl and the hexachloroniobate salt [MeOCH(2)CH(2)OCH(2)CH(2)O(H)Me][NbCl(6)], 10, have been identified as products of the reaction of 1a with two equivalents of diglyme. The 1 : 2 molar ratio reaction of 1a with MeOCH(2)CH(Me)OMe gives 2,5-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane. Compound 1a reacts with two equivalents of EtO(CH(2))(2)OEt or MeO(CH(2))(2)OCH(2)Cl yielding Cl(CH(2))(2)OCH(2)CH(3) or O(CH(2)Cl)(2) and diglyme, respectively, but not dioxane, suggesting that fragmentation pathways different from that found for dme are operating. The X-ray molecular structures of 4a, 4b and 10 have been determined.

Recent developments in the field of organic heterobimetallic compounds of the alkaline-earth metals

Heterobimetallic compounds of the alkaline-earth metals show a wide structural variety with strongly differing reactivity patterns. The combination of magnesium and alkali metal amides yields cyclic molecules with an extreme high reactivity which often are considered as "inverse crowns" with the metal atoms as coordination sites for Lewis bases. In other metallates of the alkaline-earth metals an activation of alkyl groups succeeds. In alkaline-earth metal zincates an inverse coordination of the type M(2)[(mu-R)(2)ZnR](2) is observed and the alkyl groups are in bridging positions between zinc and the s-block metals thus forming a very reactive M-C-Zn three-center-two-electron bond. Furthermore, the metals of the carbon group form alkaline-earth metal-silicon, -germanium and -tin bonds or, in the presence of very strong Lewis bases, even solvent-separated ion pairs. For electronegative substituents at tin an inverse coordination mode such as M[(mu-R)(2)SnR](2) is observed.

Alkyl complexes of strontium and barium: synthesis and structural characterization of [(Me3Si)2(MeOMe2Si)C]2Sr(THF) and [(Me3Si)2(MeOMe2Si)C]2Ba(MeOCH2CH2OMe)

Metathesis between either SrI2 or BaI2 and 2 equiv of {(Me3Si)2(MeOMe2Si)C}K in THF yields the novel heavier alkali metal dialkyls {(Me3Si)2(MeOMe2Si)C}2M(L) [M(L) = Sr(THF) (2), Ba(DME) (3) (DME = 1,2-dimethoxyethane)] after recrystallization.

100 years after grignard: where does the organometallic chemistry of the heavy alkaline Earth metals stand today?

Even a century after the discovery of the Grignard reagents, similar compounds of the heavy alkaline earth metals are still lacking. Owing to the industrial need for such compounds (in particular as anionic polymerization catalysts), the last few years have been marked by a rapid, extensive development which has culminated in the first structurally characterized alkylbarium derivatives such as the crown ether complex of bis(triphenylmethyl)barium (1). hmpt=hexamethylphosphoric acid triamide.