Syntheses, Characterization, and Luminescent Properties of Monoethylzinc Complexes with Anilido–Imine Ligands

The syntheses of three anilido–imine ligands of the general formula ortho ‐C 6 H 4 (NHAr′)(CH=NAr″ [Ar′ = 7‐(2,4‐Me 2 )C 9 H 4 N, Ar″ = 2,6‐Me 2 C 6 H 3 ( 2a ); Ar′ = 7‐(2,4‐Me 2 )C 9 H 4 N, Ar″= 2,6‐Et 2 C 6 H 3 ( 2b ); Ar′ = 7‐(2,4‐Me 2 )C 9 H 4 N, Ar″= 2,6‐ i Pr 2 C 6 H 3 ( 2c )] and four zinc(II) complexes of the general formula [ ortho ‐C 6 H 4 (NHAr′)(CH=NAr″)]ZnEt [Ar′ = 7‐(2,4‐Me 2 )C 9 H 4 N, Ar″= 2,6‐Me 2 C 6 H 3 ( 3a ); Ar′ = 7‐(2,4‐Me 2 )C 9 H 4 N, Ar″= 2,6‐Et 2 C 6 H 3 ( 3b ); Ar′ = 7‐(2,4‐Me 2 )C 9 H 4 N, Ar″ = 2,6‐ i Pr 2 C 6 H 3 ( 3c ); Ar″ = 2,6‐Me 2 C 6 H 3 , Ar″ = 2,6‐ i Pr 2 C 6 H 3 ( 3d )] are described. The complexes were synthesized from the reaction of ZnEt 2 with corresponding ligands 2 by alkane elimination. All compounds were characterized by elemental analysis and 1 H and 13 C NMR spectroscopy. The molecular structures of compounds 2a , 2b , 3b , and 3c were determined by single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography. The X‐ray analysis reveals that complexes 3b and 3c exist in the dimeric form with the N atom in the quinolyl ring coordinating to the other Zn atom to make the Zn atoms four coordinate. Luminescent properties of ligands 2a – 2d and complexes 3a – 3d in both solution and the solid state were studied. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)