David V. Graham

Unmasking Representative Structures of TMP-Active Hauser and Turbo-Hauser Bases†

The molecular engines that drive enhanced magnesiations are unveiled through structural elucidation of a 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidide (TMP) Hauser base and its turbo model (see structure; Mg green, Li violet, C purple, O red, N blue, Cl yellow).

New reactivity and structural insights of alkali-metal-mediated alumination in directed ortho-alumination of a tertiary aromatic amide.

The first reported sodium alkyl(TMP)aluminate reagent to be synthesised and crystallographically characterised, [TMEDA.Na(mu-TMP)(mu-(I)Bu)Al((I)Bu)2], reacts as an amido base towards phenylacetylene to form crystalline [(TMEDA)2.Na(mu-CCPh)(mu-(I)Bu)Al((I)Bu)2]; whereas the congeneric TMEDA-stabilised lithium (TMP)aluminate exhibits dual alkyl/amido basicity in its reaction with N,N-diisopropylbenzamide to form a novel heterobimetallic-heterotrianionic crystalline complex [{PhC(=O)N(iPr)2}.Li{2-[1-C(=O)N(iPr)2]C6H4}{Me2NCH2CH2N(Me)CH2}Al(iBu)2], which, in addition to having an ortho-deprotonated benzamide ligand, also contains a methyl-deprotonated TMEDA ligand and a neutral benzamide molecule ligated to lithium.

Structurally defined potassium-mediated zincation of pyridine and 4-R-substituted pyridines (R = Et, iPr, tBu, Ph, and Me2N) by using dialkyl-tmp-zincate bases

Abstract Two potassium–dialkyl–TMP–zincate bases [(pmdeta)K(μ-Et)(μ-tmp)Zn(Et)] (1) (PMDETA=N,N,N′,N′′,N′′-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine, TMP=2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidide), and [(pmdeta)K(μ-nBu)(μ-tmp)Zn(nBu)] (2), have been synthesized by a simple co-complexation procedure. Treatment of 1 with a series of substituted 4-R-pyridines (R=Me2N, H, Et, iPr, tBu, and Ph) gave 2-zincated products of the general formula [{2-Zn(Et)2-μ-4-R-C5H3N}2⋅2{K(pmdeta)}] (3–8, respectively) in isolated crystalline yields of 53, 16, 7, 23, 67, and 51%, respectively; the treatment of 2 with 4-tBu-pyridine gave [{2-Zn(nBu)2-μ-4-tBu-C5H3N}2⋅2{K(pmdeta)}] (9) in an isolated crystalline yield of 58%. Single-crystal X-ray crystallographic and NMR spectroscopic characterization of 3–9 revealed a novel structural motif consisting of a dianionic dihydroanthracene-like tricyclic ring system with a central diazadicarbadizinca (ZnCN)2 ring, face-capped on either side by PMDETA-wrapped K+ cations. All the new metalated pyridine complexes share this dimeric arrangement. As determined by NMR spectroscopic investigations of the reaction filtrates, those solutions producing 3, 7, 8, and 9 appear to be essentially clean reactions, in contrast to those producing 4, 5, and 6, which also contain laterally zincated coproducts. In all of these metalation reactions, the potassium–zincate base acts as an amido transfer agent with a subsequent ligand-exchange mechanism (amido replacing alkyl) inhibited by the coordinative saturation, and thus, low Lewis acidity of the 4-coordinate Zn centers in these dimeric molecules. Studies on analogous trialkyl–zincate reagents in the absence and presence of stoichiometric or substoichiometric amounts of TMP(H) established the importance of Zn–N bonds for efficient zincation.

Structurally-defined potassium-mediated regioselective zincation of amino-and alkoxy-substituted pyridines

The new synergic base [PMDETA.K(TMP)(Et)Zn(Et)] selectively zincates 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine at the 2-position and 4-methoxypyridine at the 3-position, to afford bimetallic potassium pyridylzinc complexes each displaying a novel, but remarkably different, structure.

Building an extended inverse crown motif via alkali-metal-mediated α-magnesiation of furan

deprotonated selectively at the -position by the mixed-metal alkyl-amido base [(TMEDA) x Na(Bun)(TMP)Mg(TMP)] to generate a transient intermediate which undergoes disproportionation to the disodium dimagnesium hexafuryl tri(thf) complex [{{(thf)3 x Na2}{(TMEDA) x Mg2}(2-C4H3O)6}infinity], a new type of inverse crown structure with triply-stabilized (through Mg-C , Na-O and Na...C-C interactions) furyl guest anions, and the tris(amide) [(TMEDA)x.NaMg(TMP)3].

Synthesis and structural elucidation of solvent-free and solvated lithium dimethyl (HMDS) zincates

Using a co-complexation methodology the unsolvated lithium zincate [LiZn(HMDS)Me2] ( 4, HMDS = 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexamethyldisilazide) was prepared by reaction of an equimolar amount of LiHMDS with Me2Zn in a non-polar toluene-hexane solvent mixture. X-Ray crystallographic studies reveal that the asymmetric unit of 4 has a dinuclear arrangement, based on a planar LiNZnC four-membered ring. As a result of intermolecular interactions between the lithium centre of one asymmetric unit and a terminal methyl group of another, 4 presents a polymeric chain array in the solid state. DFT calculations revealed that the formation of the polymer is the driving force for the success of co-complexation of LiHMDS and Me2Zn to yield the unsolvated zincate 4. The reaction of 4 with PMDETA (N,N,N,N,N-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine) afforded the new solvated zincate [(PMDETA)Li(mu-Me)Zn(HMDS)Me] ( 5). X-Ray crystallographic studies show that the asymmetric unit of 5 consists of an open, dinuclear LiCZnC arrangement rather than a closed cyclic one, in which the HMDS ligand unusually occupies a terminal position on Zn. DFT computational studies showed that the structure found for 5 was energetically preferred to the expected HMDS-bridging isomer due to the steric hindrance imposed by the tridentate PMDETA ligand. The reaction of 4 with the neutral nitrogen donors 4-tert-butylpyridine and tert-butylcyanide afforded the homometallic compounds [(tBu-pyr)Li(HMDS)] ( 6) and [(tBuCN)Li(HMDS)] ( 7) respectively as a result of disproportionation reactions. Compounds 6 and 7 were characterized by NMR (1H, 13C and 7Li) spectroscopy.

HTS SQUIDs for the nondestructive evaluation of composite structures

While LTS and HTS SQUIDs have successfully been applied in the detection of flaws in aircraft grade aluminium structures for well over a decade, interest has recently spread to a type of new material, namely composites. One example, carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP), is increasingly being favoured by the aircraft industry because of its strength to weight ratio and the fact that it is corrosion-resistant. Material and defect characterization using SQUIDs is still at an early stage, but due to expected rapid expansion in the use of such materials, there is ample scope for the application of HTS SQUIDs. Here we have applied HTS SQUID single-layer gradiometers to investigate artificially created defects in CFRP samples.

Structural variations within group 1 (Li-Cs)(+)(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy)(-) complexes made via metallic reduction of the nitroxyl radical

Treatment of 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) with a group 1 metal (Li, Na, K, Rb, or Cs), resulted in the reduction of this important radical to the TEMPO(-) anion--the first examples of elemental-metal single electron reduction of the radical to its anionic form. The synthesis and characterization of seven alkali metal TEMPO(-) complexes are reported. A variety of structural motifs are encountered depending on the choice of metal and/or solvent. (THF)(2) x [Li(+)(TEMPO(-))](4) 1 crystallized from THF as a cyclic (Li(4)O(4)) molecule. Two Li centers are stabilized by coordination to a THF molecule; the others by intramolecular coordination to N(TEMPO) atoms. [(THF) x Na(+)(TEMPO(-))](4) 2 exists as a distorted cubane where each Na center is coordinated to a THF molecule. No appreciable Na-N(TEMPO) coordination is observed. [(THF)(2) x Na(+)(3)(TEMPO(-))(2)(OH)](2) 3 was serendipitously prepared and exists as a distorted bis(cubane). It is envisaged that 3 is formed from 2 by insertion of a (Na-OH)(2) double bridge into its framework. [Na(+)(4)(mu(3)-TEMPO(-))(2)(mu(2)-TEMPO(-))(2)(TMEDA)(2)] 4, adopts a four-runged ladder structure, whereby the two outer Na centers are coordinated to TMEDA, in addition to two mu(2)-O and a N atom. The inner metal atoms are bound to three mu(3)-O atoms and a N atom. [(THF) x K(+)(TEMPO(-))](4) 5 resembles the motif found for 2; however, presumably because of the larger size of the metal, K-N(TEMPO) interactions are present in 5. The asymmetric unit of [(TMEDA) x Rb(+)(2)(TEMPO(-))(2)](2) 6 comprises a Rb(4)O(4) cubane with half a molecule of TMEDA coordinated to each metal. From a supramolecular perspective, 6 exists as a polymeric array of cubane units connected by TMEDA bridges. Completing the series, [Cs(+)(TEMPO)](infinity) 7 crystallizes from hexane to form a donor-free polymeric complex. Complexes 1, 2, and 4-7 are soluble in D(8)-THF solution, and their NMR spectra are reported. The solution structures in donor solvent appear virtually identical.