Floria Antolini

Reactions between a sodium amide Na[N(SiMe3)R1] (R1 = SiMe3, SiMe2Ph or But) and a cyanoalkane RCN (R = Ad or But)

Reactions between sodium amides Na[N(SiMe3)R1] [R1 = SiMe3 (1), SiMe2Ph (2) or But (3)] and cyanoalkanes RCN (R = Ad or But) were investigated. In each case the nitrile adduct [Na{mu-N(SiMe3)2}(NCR)]2 [R = Ad (1a) or But (1b)], trans-[Na{mu-N(SiMe3)(SiMe2Ph)}(NCR)]2 [R = Ad (2a) or But (2b)], [(Na{mu-N(SiMe3)But})3(NCAd)3] (3a) or [(Na{mu-N(SiMe3)But})3(NCBut)n] [n = 3 (3b) or 2 (3c)] was isolated. The reaction of complexes 3a or 3b with benzene afforded the ketimido complex [Na{mu-N=C(Ad)(Ph)}]6.2C6H6 (4a) or [Na{mu-N=C(But)(Ph)}]6 (4b); the former was also prepared in more conventional fashion from NaPh and AdCN. The synthesis and structure of an analogue of complex 1a, [Li{mu-N(SiMe3)2}(NCAd)]2 (5a), is also presented. The compounds 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3, 3b, 4a, 4b and 5a were characterised by X-ray diffraction.

Reaction of the Silylene Si[(NCH2But)2C6H4-1,2] with the Alkali Metal Silylamides M[N(SiMe3)R] (M = Li, Na or K; R = SiMe3 or SiMe2Ph)

The thermally stable silylene Si[(NCH(2)Bu(t))(2)C(6)H(4)-1,2] 1 undergoes oxidative addition reactions with the alkali metal silylamides MN(SiMe(3))(2)(M = Li, Na or K) to afford the new alkali metal amides MN(SiMe(3))[(1)SiMe(3)][M = Li (2), Na (3) or K (4)]. Reaction of two equivalents of 1 with LiN(R)(SiMe(3)) leads in a two-step process to the compound LiN[(1)R][(1)SiMe(3)][R = SiMe(2)Ph (5) or SiMe(3) (6)]. Alternatively, 1 reacts with 3 to afford NaN[(1)SiMe(3)](2) (7). The structures of 2-5 and are presented and the formation of 2-7 is discussed.

Unusual alkali metal α- or β-phenyl(trimethylsilyl)amides

The synthesis (1–3 and 5) and structures (1–5) of the crystalline, hydrocarbon-soluble metal amides [M{μ-N(SiMe3)(SiMe2Ph)}(NCBut )n]2 [n = 0 and M = Li 1 (cis), M = Na 2 (trans) having intermolecular Na⋯C contacts, or n = 1 and M = Na (cis) 3], [Li{μ-N(SiMe3)Ph}-cis]2[μ- {N(SiMe3)Ph}Li-cis]2 4 and trans-[Na{μ-N(SiMe3)Ph}(tmen)] 5 are reported.