Molecular Structures and NMR Studies of Lithium and Germanium( II ) Complexes of a New Chelating Amido–Imino Ligand Obtained by Addition of n BuLi to 1,2‐Bis(arylimino)acenaphthene

The reaction of 1,2‐bis[(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl)imino]acenaphthene (dpp‐bian, 1 ) with 1 equiv. of n BuLi in diethyl ether or with 2 equiv. of n BuLi in hexane produces [{dpp‐bian( n Bu)}Li(Et 2 O)] ( 3 ) and [{dpp‐bian( n Bu)Li} n BuLi] 2 ( 4 ), respectively. Complexes 3 and 4 are formed by the transfer of an n Bu anion to one of the imine carbon atoms of the dpp‐bian ligand. Treatment of 3 and 4 with H 2 O affords the C ‐alkylated N ‐protonated amino‐imino compound dpp‐bian(H)( n Bu) ( 5 ). The reaction of 3 with GeCl 2 (dioxane) affords the three‐coordinate germylene complex [{dpp‐bian( n Bu)}GeCl] ( 6 ). The molecular structures of 3 – 6 were determined by single‐crystal X‐ray structure analysis. The lack of symmetry in the alkylated bian system in 3 – 6 causes the non‐equivalence of all protons except those of the CH 3 groups of the i Pr substituents. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)