1,8-Bis(silylamido)naphthalene complexes of magnesium and zinc synthesised through alkane elimination reactions.

The reactions between magnesium or zinc alkyls and 1,8-bis(triorganosilyl)diaminonaphthalenes afford the 1,8-bis(triorganosilyl)diamidonaphthalene complexes with elimination of alkanes. The reaction between 1,8-C10 H6 (NSiMePh2 H)2 and one or two equivalents of Mgn Bu2 affords two complexes with differing coordination environments for the magnesium; the reaction between 1,8-C10 H6 (NSiMePh2 H)2 and Mgn Bu2 in a 1 : 1 ratio affords 1,8-C10 H6 (NSiMePh2 )2 {Mg(THF)2 } (1), which features a single magnesium centre bridging both ligand nitrogen donors, whilst treatment of 1,8-C10 H6 (NSiR3 H)2 (R3 = MePh2 ,i Pr3 ) with two equivalents of Mgn Bu2 affords the bimetallic complexes 1,8-C10 H6 (NSiR3 )2 {n BuMg(THF)}2 (R3 = MePh2 2, R3 =i Pr3 3), which feature four-membered Mg2 N2 rings. Similarly, 1,8-C10 H6 (NSii Pr3 )2 {MeMg(THF)}2 (4) and 1,8-C10 H6 (NSiMePh2 )2 {ZnMe}2 (5) are formed through reactions with the proligands and two equivalents of MMe2 (M = Mg, Zn). The reaction between 1,8-C10 H6 (NSiMePh2 H)2 and two equivalents of MeMgX affords the bimetallic complexes 1,8-C10 H6 (NSiMePh2 )2 (XMgOEt2 )2 (X = Br 6; X = I 7). Very small amounts of [1,8-C10 H6 (NSiMePh2 )2 {IMg(OEt2 )}]2 (8), formed through the coupling of two diamidonaphthalene ligands at the 4-position with concomitant dearomatisation of one of the naphthyl arene rings, were also isolated from a solution of 7.