TRANSFORMATION OF COORDINATED DINITROGEN BY REACTION WITH DIHYDROGEN AND PRIMARY SILANES

The reaction of dihydrogen with a side-on bound dinitrogen complex of zirconium was investigated, Instead of a displacement of the dinitroge n moiety, which is the common mode of reactivity, a complex containing both a bridging hydride and a bridging hydrazido unit with a nitrogen -hydrogen bond was observed. This reaction was extended to primary sil anes to produce a species that contained a nitrogen-silicon bond. In a ddition, an intermediate in the dihydrogen addition has been structura lly characterized as having a bridging dihydrogen unit.