Yttrium Siloxide Complexes Bearing Terminal Methyl Ligands: Molecular Models for Ln-CH3 Terminated Silica Surfaces.

Surface organometallic chemistry (SOMC) on silica materials is a prominent approach for the generation of highly active heterogenized polymerization catalysts. Despite advanced methods of characterization, the elucidation of the catalytically active surface species remains a challenging task. Alkylated rare-earth metal siloxide complexes can be regarded as molecular models of respective covalently bonded alkylated surface species, primarily used for 1,3-diene polymerization. Here, we performed both salt metathesis reactions of [Y(MMe4 )3 ] (M = Al, Ga) with [K{OSi(OtBu)3 }] and alkylation reactions of [Y{OSi(OtBu)3 }3 ]2 with AlMe3 . The obtained complexes [Y(CH3 )[(AlMe2 ){OSi(OtBu)3 }2 ](AlMe4 )]2 , [Y(CH3 )[(AlMe2 ){OSi(OtBu)3 }2 ]-{OSi(OtBu)3 }], [Y{OSi(OtBu)3 }3 (µ-Me)Y(µ-Me)2 Y{OSi(OtBu)3 }2 (AlMe4 )], and [Y(CH3 )(GaMe4 ){OSi(OtBu)3 }]2 represent rare examples of organoyttrium species with terminal methyl groups. The formation and purity of the mixed methyl/siloxy yttrium complexes could be enhanced by treating [Y(MMe4 )3 ] with [K(MMe2 ){OSi(OtBu)3 }2 ]n (M=Al: n=2; M=Ga: n=∞). Complexes [K(MMe2 ){OSi(OtBu)3 }2 ]n were obtained by addition of [K{OSi(OtBu)3 }] to [Me2 M{OSi(OtBu)3 }]2 . Deeper insight into the fluxional behavior of the mixed methyl/siloxy yttrium complexes in solution was gained by (1) H and (13) C NMR spectroscopic studies at variable temperature and (1) H-(89) Y HSQC NMR spectroscopy.

Reactivity of boryllithium with AlMe3, AlEt3, and GaMe3, including the synthesis of a lanthanum heterogallate complex.

Treatment of boryllithium (THF)2Li[B(NDippCH)2] (Dipp = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl) with various amounts of AlMe3 or GaMe3 leads to the formation of inter group 13 compounds. Equimolar reactions result in ate complexes of the type (THF)nLi(Me3M)[B(NDippCH)2] (M = Al, Ga) with discrete (n = 2, 3) or eight-membered ring structures (n = 1). We reported previously that use of excessive amounts of group 13 metal methyl compounds can result in four-coordinate THF-adducts (THF)(Me2M)[B(NDippCH)2] or unsolvated complexes {(Me2M)[B(NDippCH)2]}x (M = Al, x = 2; M = Ga, x = 1) via separation of LiMMe4. Polymeric [(THF)Li(Et3Al){B(NDippCH)2}]n is formed when boryllithium is reacted with an equimolar amount of AlEt3. The discrete THF-adduct (THF)Et2Al[B(NDippCH)2] can be isolated when using a boryllithium/AlEt3 ratio of 1 : 5. The reaction of THF-adduct (THF)Me2Ga[B(NDippCH)2] with La(AlMe4)3 affords the heterogallate complex La[(Me3Ga){B(NDippCH)2}]3, according to a donor-assisted tetramethylaluminate/alkylgallate exchange. The obtained complexes feature rare examples of crystallographically characterized non-cluster compounds with unsupported B-Al and B-Ga contacts.

Assessing the Brønsted basicity of diaminoboryl anions: reactivity toward methylated benzenes and dihydrogen.

Treatment of toluene or p-xylene with diaminoboryllithium results in consecutive reactions, involving boryl-anion-mediated deprotonation at the benzylic position followed by nucleophilic substitution at the boron center, producing benzylborane species and LiH. Diaminoboryllithium also cleaves H2 heterolytically affording diaminohydroborane and LiH, while the reaction of lithium diaminoboryl(bromo)cuprate with H2 takes place accompanied by reduction of Cu(I) to give diaminohydroborane, LiH, and Cu(0).

A dimethylgallium boryl complex and its methyllithium addition compound.

The three-coordinate complex Me2Ga[B(NArCH)2] (Ar = C6H3iPr2-2,6) is accessible via a tandem Lewis acid-base metathesis protocol employing (THF)2Li[B(NArCH)2] and GaMe3. It features a very short Ga-B bond of 2.067(3) Å, which was further investigated by DFT calculations and the analysis of the electron density. Reaction of MeLi with Me2Ga[B(NArCH)2] forms tetrameric [LiMe3Ga{B(NArCH)2}]4 with a "nanowheel" structure.