Novel metal complexes containing 1-azaallyl and beta-diketiminato ligands

The bis[beta -diketiminato(dimethyl)aluminium] complex {Me2Al[N(R)C(Ar)](2) CH}(2)CH2(Ar = C6H4Me-4, R = SiMe3) I and the bis[lithium beta -diketiminat e]s {Li[N(R)C(Ar)](2)CH}(2)CH2 2(Ar = C6H5) and 3 (Ar = C6H4Me-4) were prep ared and fully characterised. The X-ray structures of I and 2 are reported, showing different features: 2 has the unexpected fused bicyclic structure of two 8-membered rings. The adamantyl-substituted lithium 1-azaallyl complex {Li[N(R)C(Ad)C(H)R]}(2 ) 4 and the lithium beta -diketiminates {Li[N(R)C(Ad)C(H)C(Ar)N(R)]}(2) 5 ( Ar = C6H5) and 6 (Ar = C6H4Me-4) were synthesised. Each was reacted either with AlMeCl2 (for 4) or AlMe2Cl (for 5), yielding the aluminium derivatives MeAl[N(R)C(Ad)C(H)R][N(R)C(Ad)=C(H)R] 7 and Me2Al[N(R)C(Ad)C(H)C(Ar)N(R)] 8, respectively.