Reactivity Consequences of Substituent‐Dependent Preaggregation Motifs of n ‐ and tert ‐Butyllithium towards 1,3,5‐Triazacyclohexanes

Tuning Reactivities of tert-Butyllithium by the Addition of Stoichiometric Amounts of Tetrahydrofuran

In alkyllithium chemistry the highest reactivity has historically been linked to the smallest degree of aggregation possible. Since tert-butyllithium is known to form a monomer in tetrahydrofuran solution, using just stoichiometric amounts of the lewis base to selectively form a dimeric species seemed irrational. In this study, we showed a considerable increase of the reactivity of t-BuLi when using stoichiometric amounts of THF in the non-polar solvent n-pentane in order to enable the deprotonation of simple methyl silanes and other low C-H-acidic substrates. In this context, we were able to obtain the corresponding aggregates of t-BuLi with the ligand THF in suspension and as crystalline solids and investigate them by single crystal X-ray structural analysis, in situ FTIR spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations. Furthermore, we were able to explain the enhanced reactivity of t-BuLi with stoichiometric amounts of THF on the basis of structural features of the bridged dimer obtained under these conditions. With these findings, we present a new target in the aggregation of alkyllithium reagents: the selectively formed "frustrated" aggregates!

When Electrons Step in: Polarizing Effects Explored with Triisobutylaluminum

High-resolution X-ray diffraction data of triisobutylaluminum were collected, and unexpected structural features were observed, hinting toward yet unnoticed polarization effects. To approach these, a multipole refinement using the Hansen and Coppens method, followed by a topological analysis using Bader's quantum theory of atoms in molecules, was employed. The electron localization function based on density functional theory calculations supported the experimental findings. Thereby, unobserved electron shifts within the isobutyl group become detectable. It is shown that the impact of this electron shift is dependent mainly on whether the ⁱBu substituent of the homoleptic triisobutylaluminum dimer [AlⁱBu₃]₂ (1) is connected by a directional (σ) or a multicenter (μ) bond to the metal. The effect found is assumed not only to be of paramount importance for organoaluminum compounds, widely used in synthesis and in the industrial value chain, but also to be present in organometallic chemistry in general.

Tris[(1-isopropylbenzimidazol-2-yl)dimethylsilyl]methyl metal complexes, [TismPriBenz]M: a new class of metallacarbatranes, isomerization to a tris(N-heterocyclic carbene) derivative, and evidence for an inverted ligand field

The tris[(1-isopropylbenzimidazol-2-yl)dimethylsilyl]methyl ligand, [TismPriBenz], has been employed to form carbatrane compounds of both the main group metals and transition metals, namely [TismPriBenz]Li, [TismPriBenz]MgMe, [TismPriBenz]Cu and [TismPriBenz]NiBr. In addition to the formation of atranes, a zinc compound that exhibits κ3-coordination, namely [κ3-TismPriBenz]ZnMe, has also been obtained. Furthermore, the [TismPriBenz] ligand may undergo a thermally induced rearrangement to afford a novel tripodal tris(N-heterocyclic carbene) variant, as shown by the conversion of [TismPriBenz]Cu to [κ4-C4-TismPriBenz*]Cu. The transannular M-C bond lengths in the atrane compounds are 0.19-0.32 Å longer than the sum of the respective covalent radii, which is consistent with a bonding description that features a formally zwitterionic component. Interestingly, computational studies demonstrate that the Cu-Catrane interactions in [TismPriBenz]Cu and [κ4-C4-TismPriBenz*]Cu are characterized by an "inverted ligand field", in which the occupied antibonding orbitals are localized more on carbon than on copper.

From an α-functionalized silicon-stereogenic N,O-silane to a monomeric and tetracoordinate tBuLi adduct with lithium-centered chirality

Donor-functionalized silanes with stereogenic silicon centers are extremely rare. A convenient stereocontrolled route to a nitrogen-oxygen-functionalized silicon-chiral compound with an additional aminomethyl function is presented. This silane was directly achieved in stereochemically pure form by a simple nucleophilic substitution reaction. Owing to the unique asymmetry of this silane and the presence of three donor functions, the first monomeric butyllithium compound with lithium-centered chirality could be isolated; the configuration was assigned by X-ray crystallography. This [silane⋅ tBuLi] complex undergoes an unexpected deprotonation/stereospecific substitution sequence in toluene, leading to the development of a convenient one-pot synthesis of a functionalized silicon-chiral benzylsilane, which proceeds with inversion of configuration and complete preservation of the stereochemical integrity at silicon.