Synthesis, characterisation, and molecular structures of new ferrocenyl Schiff bases and their aluminium and zinc complexes

The aldimines FcCH=NCH(Me)CH2OMe (1), FcCH=NCH2H6H4-2-OMe (2) and FcCH=N(CH 2)(3)NHMe (3) were obtained by reacting ferrocene aldehyde with the corresp onding primary amines. Compounds 1-3 react with Me2Zn and Me3Al in a molar ratio 1: 1 to the corresponding adducts 4-8. Reactions of 1 and 2 with t-bu tyllithium lead to an addition of the lithium reagent yielding the correspo nding amides 9 and 10. Compounds 1-10 were characterised by H-1- and C-13-N MR spectroscopy. The molecular structures of 1, 2, 4, 5, 9 and 10 were dete rmined by X-ray diffraction. 4 consists of monomeric molecules, containing a four-coordinated Zn atom as a result of Zn-0 and Zn-N interactions. In co ntrast to 4 the Al atom in 5 is coordinated by the N atom of the ligand onl y. 9 and 10 form dimeric molecules with four-co ordinated Li atoms as the g eneral structural feature.