Bidentate N-Heterocyclic carbene complexes of group 13 trihydrides and trihalides.

Abstract

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Treatment of the potentially chelating bis-carbene, 1,2-ethylene-3,3′-di-tert-butyl-diimidazole-2,2′-diylidene, EtIBut, with [MH3(NMe3)], M = Al, Ga, In, in a 1 ∶ 1 or 1 ∶ 2 stoichiometery led to good yields of the metal rich 2 ∶ 1 adducts, [(MH3)2(μ-EtIBut)]. These complexes have been spectroscopically characterised and the X-ray crystal structures of two (M = Al or In) obtained. In contrast, the 1 ∶ 1 or 1 ∶ 2 reactions of EtIBut with MX3, M = In or Tl, X = Br or Cl, led to the 1 ∶ 1 adducts, [MX3(EtIBut)]. The X-ray crystal structure of one of these, [InBr3(EtIBut)], shows the ligand to act in a chelating mode, taking up equatorial positions of an trigonal bipyramid. The reactions of EtIBut with MCl3, M = Al or Ga, led to decomposition and in the aluminium reaction the major product of the decomposition process was the bis-imidazolium salt, [EtIButH2][Cl]2, which has also been crystallographically characterised. Several related reactions are described.