A versatile bulky bidentate ligand for both main group and transition metals. Derivatives of lithium, potassium, magnesium, chromium, manganese, and cobalt containing the C(SiMe3)(2)(SiMe2C5H4N-2) group

The compound HC(SiMe3)(2)(SiMe2C5H4N-2), 1, reacts with methyllithium in TH F to give a good yield of the lithium derivative Li{C(SiMe3)(2)(SiMe2C5H4N- 2)},which has been isolated as a molecular THF adduct 2. This reacts (a) wi th (KOBu)-Bu-t to give K{C(SiMe3)(2)(SiMe2C5H4N-2)}, 3, which crystallizes in a solvent-free ionic lattice, (b) with MgBr2 to give the Grignard reagen t Mg(THF)Br{C(SiMe3)(2)(SiMe2C5H4N-2)}, 4, and (c) with CrCl2 to give Cr{C( SiMe3)(2)(SiMe2C5H4N-2)}(2), 5, along with the halide-bridged Grignard reag ent analogue [Cr(mu-Cl)- {C(SiMe3)(2)(SiMe2C5H4N-2)}](2).THF, 6, which crys tallizes in a lattice containing alternate THF-free molecules (6a) and mole cules (6b) with coordinated THF. The reactions of 2 with MnCl2 and CoBr2 gi ve the halide-bridged ate complexes [Li(THF)(3)(mu-Cl)MnCl{C(SiMe3)(2)-(SiM e2C5H4N-2)}], 7, and [Li(THF)(2)(mu-Br)(2)Co{C(SiMe3)(2)(SiMe2C5H4N-2)}], 8 , respectively.