The synthesis and structures of mono- andbis(amidinate) aluminum complexes aredescribed. The reaction of AlMe
3 and 1 equiv ofcarbodiimide, R'N=C=NR', af
fords{MeC(NR')
2}AlMe
2 (
1a, R'=
iPr;
1b, R' = Cy =cyclohexyl). The reaction of R'N=C=NR'with MeLi or
tBuLi
generatesLi[RC(NR')
2] (
2a, R = Me, R' =
iPr;
3a, R =
tBu, R' =
iPr;
3b,R =
tBu, R' = Cy;
3c, R =
tBu, R' = SiMe
3).
2a,
3a, and
3b may be isolated orreacted
insitu, while attempted isolation of
3c gave[Li(
tBuCN){
ges/entities/m
gr.
gif">-N(SiMe
3)
2}]
2(
3d). The reaction of1 equiv of AlCl
3 with
2a or
3a-c af
fords{RC(NR')
2}AlCl
2 (
4a, R= Me;
5a-c, R =
tBu), andthe reaction of AlMe
2Cl with
3a-c af
fords{
tBuC(NR')
2}AlMe
2(
6a-c). Alkylation of
5a,
bwith 2 equiv of PhCH
2M
gCl orMe
3CCH
2Li yields{
tBuC(NR')
2}Al(CH
2Ph)
2(
7a,
b) or{
tBuC(NR')
2}Al(CH
2CMe
3)
2(
8a,
b). The reaction of 0.5 equiv ofAlCl
3 with
2a or
3a,
byields{RC(NR')
2}
2AlCl (
9a, R =Me;
10a,
b, R =
tBu). Complexes
1b,
3d,
4a,
5a,
b,
6b,
8b,
9a, and
10a,
b have been characterized by X-raycrystallo
graphy. The crystallo
graphic resultsestablish that steric interactions between the R and R'
groupsinfluence the R'-N-Al an
gleand, hence, the steric environment at aluminum.