Unusual dicationic trimetallic aluminum chelates

The bimetallic compounds, L(AlMeCl)(2) with L = Salpen(tBu) (N,N'-1,3-propy lenenebis(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylideneimine), Salben(tBu) (N,N'-1,4-butyle nebis(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylideneimine)) and Salhen(tBu) (N,N'-1,6 hexyle nebis(3,5-di- tert-butylsalicylideneimine)) form the unusual trimetallic di cationic complexes, {[Salpen(Bu-t)*](2)(AlCl)(3)]}(2+)[GaCl4](-)[GaMe2Cl2]( -) (1), {[Salben(Bu-t)*](2)(AlCl)(3)]}(2+) [GaCl4](-) [GaMe2Cl2](-) (2) and {[Salhen(Bu-t)*](2)(AlCl)(3)]}(2+) [GaCl4](-)[GaMe2Cl2](-) (3) when combin ed with GaCl3 in toluene. In their formation, the ligands of the compounds undergo a unique dealkylation reaction to lose one tBu group from each liga nd (marked with an asterisk). These compounds are a new and unique class of aluminum cations. The compounds were characterized by Mp, analyses, IR, H- 1 NMR, and in the case of 1 and 2, by single-crystal X-ray diffractometry. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.