Mononuclear three-coordinate magnesium complexes of a highly sterically encumbered β-diketiminate ligand

M. Arrowsmith, B. Maitland, Gabriele Kociok-Köhn, A. Stasch, C. Jones, M.S. Hill

OAI: oai:purehost.bath.ac.uk:publications/08ef4dfc-3c69-4e57-ba49-546ecc5120d9 • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/ic501638v

The highly sterically encumbered chelating β-diketiminate ligand, [HC{C(Me)N(2,6-CHPh₂-4-MeC₆H₂)}₂]^_, ^ArL^_, has been used to prepare a series of heteroleptic three-coordinate magnesium complexes. Both the bis(imine) and imine-enamine tautomers of the ligand precursor, ^ArLH, as well as the diethyl ether adduct of the bromide complex [^ArLMgBr(OEt^₂)], the monomeric methyl complex [^ArLMgMe], the THF-solvated and unsolvated n-butylmagnesium complexes [^ArLMgnBu(THF)] and [LMgBu], and the 1-hexynyl analogue [LMgCî -CBu] have been crystallographically characterized. Both n-butylmagnesium complexes showed remarkable stability in air, both in the solid state and in solution. Single crystals of the highly sensitive magnesium hydride, [^ArLMgH], underwent partial hydrolysis by solid-state water diffusion to the isostructural hydroxide compound [LMgOH].