Despite their close structural similarity, the potassium and lithium s
alts of dipyridylamine and diphenylamine [(C5H5N)(2)N-, Ph2N-] react w
ith (TMEDA)(2)Nb2Cl5Li(TMEDA) in THF to afford two different compounds
arising from the cooperative oxidative addition of the two metal cent
ers on either the C-H or C-N bond of the amide ligand.