Structural Similarity in a Series of Alkali Metal Aluminates with Heteroleptic tert‐Butoxide–Isobutyl Ligand Sets

Abstract

With the aim of increasing the number of well‐defined alkali metal aluminates, six new crystalline examples containing heteroleptic tert‐butoxide – isobutyl ligand sets are reported. NMR spectroscopic studies in C6D6 solution have determined their common general formula [(iBu)2Al(OtBu)2AM·(D)], where AM = Li, D = 2 THF, TMEDA or PMDETA; AM = Na, D = TMEDA or PMDETA; and AM = K, D = PMDETA. X‐ray crystallographic studies show that despite the different sized alkali metals involved all six complexes adopt a common dinuclear motif with [AlO(AM)O] ring cores. Though Al–OtBu–Li linkages are common, the heavier alkali metal examples reported here are exceptionally rare. These structures could be interpreted as co‐complexes between monomeric forms of tBuO(AM) and (iBu)2Al(OtBu).