Bis‐Silyl‐triazenide ligands in alkaline‐earth metal chemistry

Abstract

AbstractMonoanionic N,N‐chelating triazenide ligands, [R‐NNN‐R]−, are compared to formamidinate or β‐diketiminate ligands considerably less electron‐donating and therefore potentially suitable for stabilizing electron rich metals in low oxidations states. A feature reported for silyl‐substituted triazenide ligands, is their ability to eliminate N2 resulting in (R3Si)2N− anions. Here we describe a series of group 1 and 2 metal complexes with the very bulky bis‐silyl‐triazenide ligand [tBu3Si‐NNN‐SitBu3]−. Heteroleptic complexes could be isolated for Mg: {[(tBu3Si)2N3]MgnBu}2 or {[(tBu3Si)2N3]MgI}2, including its ether adducts. Despite bulky silyl substituents, the ligand did not stabilize heteroleptic [(tBu3Si)2N3]AeN(SiMe3)2 complexes for Ca, Sr and Ba and only homoleptic Ae[(tBu3Si)2N3]2 complexes were isolated. Thermal decomposition of these complexes did result in N2 elimination and formation of the expected amide complexes. Reduction of [(tBu3Si)2N3]MgI ⋅ (Et2O) with KC8 in Et2O led to the formation of a MgI complex with a Mg−Mg bond length of 2.902(1) Å. As only one of the Mg centres shows coordination with a Et2O ligand, this is a rare example of an asymmetric Mg−Mg bond. This MgI complex is rather unstable in benzene solution, likely due to reduction of the ligand system. Triazenide ligands are therefore not suitable for stabilization of group 2 metals in low oxidation states.