Group 13 Element Trihalide Complexes of Anionic N-Heterocyclic Carbenes.

Abstract

A series of group 13 complexes of the general type [{(WCA‐IDipp)EX3}Li(solv)] (E=B, Al, Ga, In; X=Cl, Br) that bear an anionic N‐heterocyclic carbene ligand with a weakly coordinating borate moiety (WCA‐IDipp, WCA=B(C6F5)3 and IDipp=1,3‐bis(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl)imidazolin‐2‐ylidene) were prepared by the reaction of the respective group 13 trihalides (EX3) with the lithium salt [(WCA‐IDipp)Li ⋅ toluene]. The molecular structures of the BBr3, AlCl3, AlBr3, GaCl3 and InCl3 adducts were established by X‐ray diffraction analyses, revealing the formation of coordination polymers linked by halide‐lithium interactions, except for the indium derivative, which consists of isolated [Li(THF)4]+ and [(WCA‐IDipp)InCl3]− ions in the solid state.